Length/Distance 

Convert from barleycorn to ell [Scotland]

Convert what quantity?
From: To:






Result (rounded to 7 decimal places):
 
 

Related Categories:

Common Length Conversions
Metric Length Conversions

Unit Definition (barleycorn)
The Barleycorn is an old English unit of length. The custom of using seeds as units of length or weight is very common in farming societies. In Anglo-Saxon England, where barley was a basic crop, barleycorns played this traditional role. The weight of a barleycorn, later renamed the grain, is the original basis of all English weight systems including the older troy system and the later avoirdupois system. As a length unit, 3 barleycorns were equal to the Saxon ynce (inch). The English foot was actually defined as 12 of these ynces, that is, as 36 barleycorns.

Unit Definition (ell [Scotland])
See the English El (or Ell). This Scottish length is shorter than the English El. It may reflect an old practice of cloth merchants in giving an extra inch with each yard, to allow for any irregular cutting at the ends of the piece. However, the English cloth ell is definitely longer than the yard; it seems to be the distance from the shoulder to the fingers of the opposite hand. This reflects a practice of cloth merchants of holding the cloth at the shoulder with one hand and pulling the piece through with the opposite hand. This cloth ell was used with a similar length in France, where it was called the aune. The Dutch el and German elle are a little more than half the English ell; they may represent "arm's-length" units like the Italian braccio, the Russian sadzhen, and the Turkish pik


to the top
Home |  Tell a Friend |  Search |  Link to this page |  Terms |  Contact |  Help |  All conversions