Land Measurement 1671 - archaic term Qugg?

[Zacktyr]

Hello,

I am reading a Will from 1671 in which a measurement of land is given to a son and I am wondering if this is a measurement peculiar to Gloucestershire. 

The portion that I have attached reads (verbatim),

"Ite[m] I give and bequeath unto my said sonn WILLIAM two Qugg(?) of ground to be measured and taken out of the Lower End of the orchard belonging to the howse wherein I now dwell. I give unto my said sonn WILLIAM BARNEFIELD my grove of wood with the grounds and soyle of the same grove and one little plott of ground lyeing near ye said grove the which said grove".

I have never encountered a measurement called a Qugg(?).  Is anyone able to enlighten me on this measurement.

Thank you.

[mckha489]

There is Quagmire. But isn’t that a boggy patch of ground. But perhaps the origin of the word is related?

[tonepad]

There is also Quag:

https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/nature-reserves/laymoor-quag

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/quag


Tony

[Capetown]

I possibly think this is the word LUGG.

My Dad born 1906 in Wiltshire  (with a Gloucestershire background) had allotments and these were measured in lugs.  He always used to say he had so many 'lugs' of allotments.

If you also Google: "What is a lug" Lighstpill alllotment Society.  It mentions term 'lug'.



Wikipedia : ROD (unit)

The rod, perch, or pole (sometimes also lug) is a surveyor's and unit of length of various historical definations, often between 3 and 8 metres etc.

If you Google there is information ...

[maddys52]

I think you are right Capetown. The first letter definitely looks like an "L" to me.

Old law hands here:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~oel/lawhandslg.html

I knew of rod, perch and pole, but have never heard of lug - interesting. 

[mckha489]

That sounds a more desirable inheritance than a patch of marsh. 

[Capetown]

Thank you maddys52 for the link to old writing, always useful.

Website:

Old UK Area Measures - Pewsey Heritage Centre

'In Pewsey, allotments are still measured using an even older measure - the 'lug' - equivalent to about 40 sq metres.  A standard Pewsey allotment is 5 lugs.

Spent many happy hours with my Dad on his allotments.

[radstockjeff]

Found in Archaic and Provincial words Vol II J-Z 10th Edition  MDCCCXXXI.  A measure of sixteen and a half feet or more anciently 20 feet. Lug - a pole in measure . It is spelt LOG in M S Gough (Wilts/Kennet). Forty nine square yards of coppice wood make a lug.

So it would seem historically to be a west country measurement.

[Zacktyr]

Hello, Everyone,

I thank you all for your contributions to the solution of this archaic term.  I had originally thought the word was "Lugg"  but the formation of the "L" has a very distinctive backwards curl at the top of the letter.  This was something I had not seen in an "L" and I've seen a lot of "L"s over the years.  So, I went with "Qugg".  But the link posted by Maddys52 shows one "L" that has a backwards curl at the top of the letter.  Aha!  The word is "Lugg".

Having Googled and checked all of the references supplied for the word "Lug", I was more confused as there seems to be no definitive settled measurement.  But, with the reference provided by Radstockjeff I found the mentioned dictionary on archive.org hoping that it would provide a source reference for the coppice wood definition.  But, the dictionary provides no more enlightenment than what was provided by radstockjeff. 

So, when all is said and done, because the Lugg reference in the Will refers to the measure being made in the Testator's wood grove I have to go with a measurement of forty-nine square yards.

Thank you, again, everyone.  This has been an interesting learning experience.  I appreciate all of your contributions and your time taken in reading and replying to my query.