Surveyors' chain

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Surveyors' chains were used in survey work for measuring out lengths. This example was made around 1900 by J. C. Chesterman of Sheffield in England.

The 100-link chain has two handles stamped '4P' and a brass tag inscribed 'CHESTERMAN / J. C. /SHEFFIELD, ENGD'. Each link is 14.0 centimetres (six inches) long.

The 100-link chain of 22 yards (about 20 metres) was introduced in 1620 by Edmund Gunther, Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in London. The length was chosen so that for ease of calculation, an area of 10 chains would correspond to one acre.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-104-179-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1901.601
• Date: Around 1900
  c. 1900
  
• Material: Instrument, surveying / geometry, descriptive / model / chain, l
  
• Dimensions: 19800 mm L
  
• What: Instrument, surveying / geometry, descriptive / model / chain, l
  
• Subject: 5. CARTOGRAPHY, Surveying (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: J.C. Chesterman, Sheffield (Maker)
  
• Where: England, Yorkshire, Sheffield
  
• Event:
• Description: Land chain, part of a collection of surveying instruments, descriptive geometry models, etc., c. 1900
  
• References:
  • Bennett, J.A. The Divided Circle: A history of instruments for astronomy, navigation and surveying. Oxford: 1987. p 194 
  • Stanley, William Ford Robinson, Surveying and levelling instruments. London & New York: 1901, p 449-51 
• Translations:
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