46 



i^otcs on a iiteasttvc of Brass, or Stantfartr 

 Bus1}fl, tratcti ^M, 1677, antr formerly 

 in putjUf use at ^sljbornc m tfjc Countp 

 of I3crl)p. 



By W. R. Holland. 



HE accompanying illustration represents a Brass or 



Bronze Measure, now in my possession, the capacity 



of which is equal to a Winchester Bushel, and which 



was anciently chained at the covered Market Cross 



which formerly stood near the bottom of the Market Place at 



Ashborne. 



The Winchester Bushel was first established as a fixed standard 

 by King Edgar, who reigned from a.d. 950 to 975. 



The Ashborne Measure was doubtless used principally as a 

 gauge for testing and authenticating wooden measures of like 

 capacity, pursuant to an Act of Parliament of the 22nd year of 

 King Charles H. (a.d. 1670), entitled "An Act for ascertaining 

 the Measures of Corn and Salt throughout the Realm." The 

 following are extracts from that statute : — 



" If any Person or Persons after the Nine and twentieth day 

 of September One thousand six hundred and seventy, shall sell 

 any Sort of Corn or Grain, ground or unground, or any Kind of 

 Salt, usually sold by the Bushel, either in open Market, or any 

 other Place, by any other Bushel or Measure than that which is 

 agreeable to the Standard marked in his Majesty's Exchequer, 



