Convert Square Perch (perch²) to Square Chain (ch²) instantly.
About these units
Square Perch (perch²)
A square perch is equivalent to a square rod, as "perch" was another historical name for a rod, used in various medieval and regional English measurement systems. Perches commonly appeared in church records, tithing assessments, and agricultural inventories. Because the perch was both a length and an area unit, it played dual roles in land taxation and construction. These overlapping terminologies—rod, pole, perch—reflect the organic evolution of measurement in medieval Europe, long before unified systems took hold.
Square Chain (ch²)
A square chain equals the area of a square one chain (~66 feet) per side, resulting in 4,356 square feet, or exactly 1/10 of an acre. This unit is closely linked to the chain, a surveyor's unit standardized by Edmund Gunter in the 17th century. Because 10 square chains make an acre, survey calculations for early colonial and American lands were extremely efficient. Square chains allowed surveyors to map and divide land rapidly using ropes or metal chains, producing a legacy seen in long, straight property lines still visible today across rural landscapes.