What is "quarterland"

n. An old Scots unit of measure of land.

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, roughly equivalent to a quarter of a markland. However, in Islay, a quarterland was equivalent to a quarter of an ounceland. Half of a quarterland would be an ochdamh(ie.one-eighth), and in Islay a quarter of a quarterland a leothras(ie.one-sixteenth).

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.