Quarterland

A Quarterland or Ceathramh (Scottish Gaelic) was a Scottish land measurement. It was used mainly in the west and north.

It was supposed to be equivalent to eight fourpennylands. In Islay, a quarterland was equivalent to a quarter of an ounceland. Half of a quarterland would be an "ochdamh", and in Islay a quarter of a quarterland a "leothras".

The name appears in many Scottish placenames, notably Kirriemuir.
* Kerrowaird – Ceathramh àrd (High Quarterland)
* Kerrowgair – Ceathramh geàrr (Rough Quarterland)
* Kerry (Cowal) - An Ceathramh Còmh’lach (The Cowal Quarterland)
* Kerrycroy - An Ceathramh cruaidh (The Hard Quarterland)
* Kirriemuir – An Ceathramh Mòr/Ceathramh Mhoire (either "The Big Quarterland" or "Mary’s Quarterland")

"Ceathramh" was also used in Gàidhlig for a bushel and a firlot (or four pecks), as was "Feòirling", the term used for a farthlingland.

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man retained a similar system into historic times: in the traditional land divisions of treens (c.f. the Scottish Gaelic word "trian", a third part) which are in turn subdivided into smaller units called quarterlands [http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/parishes/treen.htm] .

ee also

* Obsolete Scottish units of measurement
** In the East Highlands:
*** Rood
*** Scottish acre = 4 roods
*** Oxgang ("Damh-imir") = the area an ox could plow in a year (around 20 acres)
*** Ploughgate ("?") = 8 oxgangs
*** Daugh ("Dabhach") = 4 ploughgates
** In the West Highlands:
*** Groatland - ("Còta bàn") = basic unit
*** Pennyland ("Peighinn") = 2 groatlands
*** Quarterland ("Ceathramh") = 4 pennylands (8 groatlands)
*** Ounceland ("Tir-unga") = 4 quarterlands (32 groatlands)
*** Markland ("Marg-fhearann") = 8 Ouncelands (varied)
* Townland
* Township (Scotland)

References

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