Weights and Measures Acts (UK)#Weights and Measures Act 1855

There have been many laws concerned with weights and measures in the United Kingdom or parts of it over the last 1,000 or so years. The acts may catalogue lawful weights and measures, prescribe the mechanism for inspection and enforcement of the use of such weights and measures and may set out circumstances under which they may be amended. Modern legislation may, in addition to specific requirements, set out circumstances under which the incumbent minister may amend the legislation by means of statutory instruments. Prior to the Weights and Measures Act 1985, weights and measures acts were only concerned with trade law where the weight or size of the goods being traded was important. The 1985 act, however, had a broader scope, encompassing all aspects covered by the European Economic Community (EEC) European Commission directive 80/181/EEC.

As of 25 April 2012, the current primary legislation in the United Kingdom is the 1985 act, which was last amended by statutory instrument in 2011.

{{Citation |contribution=Weights and Measures Act 1985 |contribution-url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/contents |title=Legislation.gov.uk |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk |access-date=25 September 2014}} Statutory instruments made under the authority of the act do not amend the act {{lang|la|per se}}, but regulate particular areas covered by the act.{{Citation |contribution=Full Legislation List |contribution-url=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/legislation/tsew.rtf |title=Tradingstandards.gov.uk |url=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk |publisher=Trading Standards Office |access-date = 25 April 2012}}

The act is currently enforced by the 200 Trading Standards offices managed by local authorities around the country. Definitions of units of measurements and the technical equipment relating to weights and measures are provided by the National Measurement Office, an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Historically, many units had various customary definitions—by locality or trade, for example. Where these units also had a standard, legally defined definition, such as given in a weights and measures act, this was known as the statute measure.{{cite journal |last=Dilley |first=Robert |title=The Customery Acre: An Indeterminate Measure |journal=The Agricultural History Review |volume=23 |issue=2 |year=1975 |pages=173–176}} So a land area might be given as 24 acres—statute measure, to clarify that it was the acre defined in statute, rather than a customary acre of a different size, that was being used. Units that had statute-defined measures as well as customary measures were the acre, mile, perch, pole and ton. The level of legal enforcement of statute measures achieved between the mid nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries meant that only "statute mile" and "statute ton" needed qualifying beyond then. The statute mile still needed to be differentiated from the nautical mile, but the others, and the term "statute measure" itself, are now only used in a historical context.{{cite web |url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/189362 |title=Statute |website=OED |access-date=9 November 2019}}

{{see also|Metrication in the United Kingdom}}

The Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897 (60 & 61 Vict. c. 46) provided that metric units could be used in addition to the traditional imperial units for purposes of trade.{{Citation |contribution=Tuesday, August 10, 1897 |contribution-url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/26881/pages/4481/page.pdf |title=The London Gazette |date=10 August 1897 |page=4481 }}{{citation |title=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |contribution=House of Lords |date=22 July 1897 |location=London |at=[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1897/jul/22/use-of-metric-weights-and-measures-in#S4V0051P0_18970722_HOL_28 col. 695–696] }} In practice, the actual choice of units was restricted by price marking orders which listed packaging sizes and pricing structures that might be used in specific circumstances. For example, as of April 2012, wine for consumption on premises may only be sold in 125, 175, and 250 mL glasses while draught beer may only be sold as {{fract|1|3}}, {{fract|1|2}}, or {{fract|2|3}} pint and integer multiples of {{fract|1|2}} pint.{{cite web|url =http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?&ActiveTextDocId=2192002 |title=Weights and Measures Act 1985 (c. 72), section 8(2)(d) |publisher=Statutelaw.gov.uk |access-date=2 August 2011}}{{cite web|url =http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?ActiveTextDocId=2498521 |title=The Measuring Instruments (Capacity Serving Measures) Regulations 2006 (No. 1264) |publisher=Statutelaw.gov.uk |date=4 July 2011 |access-date=2 August 2011}} Prior to 1973, when the United Kingdom joined the EEC, such specifications were almost all in imperial units.

As part of its attempt to harmonise units of measure between the member states of its Internal Market, the European Commission (EC) issued directive 80/181/EEC which set out the units of measure that should be used for what it called "economic, public health, public safety, and administrative" purposes. To comply with this directive, the Weights and Measures Act 1985 extended the scope of Trading Standards responsibilities from just matters related to trade to all aspects of the directive. For example, it was the Trading Standards Office that criticised the use of sub-standard weighing machines in NHS hospitals.{{citation |title=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |contribution=House of Lords |date=25 February 2010 |location=London |at=[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldhansrd/text/100225-0001.htm col. 1081–1083] }}

To help ease the EC's desired transition from sole use of imperial units to sole use of metric units, the directive permitted the use of what were termed "supplementary indicators"—the continued use of imperial units alongside the metric units catalogued by the directive (dual labelling). The initial intention was to prohibit dual labelling after the end of 1989, with metric units only being allowed after that date. This deadline was later extended: first to the end of 1999, then to the end of 2009. Finally, in 2007, the European Union (EU, as it had become) and the EC confirmed that the UK would be permitted to continue indefinitely to use imperial units such as pints, miles, pounds and ounces as at present.{{Citation |last=Verheugen |first=Günter |contribution=Exclusive: Your pint safe in EU hands |date=11 September 2007 |title=Ec.europa.eu |contribution-url=http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/press/frontpage/11092007_en.htm |url=http://ec.europa.eu |access-date = 10 November 2007 }} The Gloucestershire County Council Trading Standards Department confirmed the EU ruling that the previous deadline for ending dual labelling had been abolished.

{{Citation |contribution=Clearing Up the Metric Muddle |contribution-url=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/glos/metric.htm |title=Tradingstandards.gov.uk |url=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk |publisher=Trading Standards Office |location=Gloucester |date=4 April 2010 |access-date=24 April 2012}}

There are still a few cases where imperial units are required to be used and where metric units are not permitted within the scope of the Weights and Measures Act, such as the pint for the sale of draught beer and cider, and miles and yards for distances on road signage. Milk in returnable containers may be sold by the pint and the troy ounce may be used for the sale of precious metals. In addition, British law specifies which non-metric units may be used with dual labelling (for example the imperial gallon, but not the US gallon).{{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=2006 |number=659 |si=The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations (2006) }}

{{expand list|date=April 2015}}

Numerous acts of the Saxon kings are known to have been lost. Those that have survived include:

2 Edgar c. 8 (sometime between 959 and 963):{{cite book |last=Thorpe |first=Benjamin |author-link=Benjamin Thorpe | title=Ancient Laws and Institutes of England; Comprising Laws enacted under the Anglo-Saxon Kings from Æthelbirht to Cnut, With an English Translation of the Saxon; The Laws called Edward the Confessor's; The Laws of William the Conqueror, and those ascribed to Henry the First: Also, Monumenta Ecclesiastica Anglicana, From the Seventh to the Tenth Century; And the Ancient Latin Version of the Anglo-Saxon Laws. With a Compendious Glossary, &c. | publisher=Commissioners of the Public Records of the Kingdom |date=1840 |contribution=The Laws of King Edgar |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QIdCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA113 |location=London |page=113 |language=ang, la, en}}

{{verse translation|lang=ang

|{{smallcaps|be mynetum and ᵹemetum}}.

And gange án mẏnet ofer ealne þæs cẏniges anƿeald⋅ ⁊ þone nan man ne forsace⋅ ⁊ gange án gemet ⁊ án geƿihte⋅ sƿilce man on Lunden-bẏrig ⁊ on Ƿintan-ceastre healde⋅ ⁊ ga seo ƿæge ƿulle to {{smallcaps|⋅cxx⋅}} p̃. ⁊ nan man hig undeoror ne sẏlle⋅ ⁊ gif hƿa hi þonne undeoror sẏlle⋅ oþþe eaƿunga oþþe dearnunga⋅ gilde ægðer þam cẏnge {{smallcaps|⋅xl⋅}} scillingá. ge seþe hi sẏlle ge seþe hi bẏcge:⋅

|{{smallcaps|of money and measures.}}

And let one money pass throughout the king's dominion; and that let no man refuse: and let one measure and one weight pass; such as is observed at London and at Winchester; and let the wey of wool go for 120 pence; and let no man sell it cheaper; and if any one sell it cheaper, either publicly or privately, let each pay 40 shillings to the king, both him who sells it, and him who buys it.

}}

The statute also survives in a few other Old English and Latin copies, some which omit mention of London and describe "the measure held at Winchester", an indication that a standard ell or yard was nominally in use:{{cite book|author=Felix Liebermann|author-link=Felix Liebermann|title=Die gesetze der Angelsachsen: Text und übersetzung|url=https://archive.org/details/p1diegesetzedera02greauoft|access-date=29 January 2012|year=1903|publisher=Max Niemeyer|pages=[https://archive.org/details/p1diegesetzedera02greauoft/page/204 204]–6}}Thorpe (1840), [https://books.google.com/books?id=QIdCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA525 p. 525.]

{{verse translation|lang=la

|{{smallcaps|de moneta, et mensura, et pondere.}}

Et sit una moneta per totum regis imperium, et nemo sonet eam; et mensura, sicut apud Wincestriam habetur. Et eat pondus lane pro dimidia libra, et nemo carius vendat eam.

|{{smallcaps|on money, and measure, and weight.}}

And let there be one money through all the king's dominion; and let no man refuse it; and [one] measure, as is held at Winchester. And let the weight of wool go for a half-pound, and no one sell it more dearly.

}}

John Quincy Adams's 1821 report on the history of English weights and measures notes of this act that "it was never observed".{{cite book |last=Adams |first=John Quincy |author-link=John Quincy Adams |title=Report upon Weights and Measures: Prepared in Obedience to a Resolution of the Senate of the Third March, 1817 |publisher=Gales & Seaton |location=Washington |date=1821 |page=22 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1sFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA22 }}

{{see also|Royal Council}}

3 William I c. 7 (1068):

{{verse translation|lang=la

|De mensuris et ponderibus

Et quod habeant per universum regnum mensuras fidelissimas, & signatas, & pondera fidelissima & signata, sicut boni Praedecessores statuerunt.{{cite book |last=Wilkins |first=David |author-link=David Wilkins (orientalist) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UjeraB3vgwQC&pg=PA228 |title=Leges Anglo-Saxonicæ Ecclesiasticæ & Civiles. Accedunt Leges Eduardi Latinæ, Guilielmi Conquestoris Gallo-Normannicæ, et Henrici I. Latinæ. Subjungitur Domini Henr. Spelmanni Codex Legum Veterum Statutorum Regni Angliæ, quæ ab ingressu Guilielmi I. usque ad annum nonum Henr. III. edita sunt. Toti Operi præmittitur Dissertatio Epistolaris admodum Reverendi Domini Guilielmi Nicolsoni Episcopi Derrensis De Jure Feudali Veterum Saxonum |trans-title=The Anglo-Saxon Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws: The Laws of Edward in Latin, of William the Conqueror in Norman French, and of Henry I in Latin, to which is Appended the Legal Code of Old Statutes of the Kings of England of Lord Henry Spelman, which were Published from the Beginning of William I up to the 9th Year of Henry III, the whole work prefaced by the Epistolary Dissertation of the Most Rev. Lord William Nicolson, Bishop of Derry, on the Feudal Law of the Old Saxons |location=London |publisher=Wm. Bowyer for Rob. Gosling |date=1721 |page=228 |language=la, xno, ang}}{{cite book |editor-last=Schmid |editor-first=Reinhold |url=https://archive.org/details/diegesetzederan00schmgoog/page/n448 |title=Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen: In der Ursprache mit Uebersetzung, Erläuterungen und einem antiquarischen Glossar |trans-title=The Laws of the Anglo-Saxons: In the Original Language with Translation, Explanatory Notes, and an Antiquarian Glossary |year=1858 |location=Leipzig |publisher=F. A. Brockhaus |page=355 |language=de, ang, la}}

|On measures and weights

We ordain and command that the weights and measures, throughout our realm, be as our worthy predecessors have established.{{Fix|text=This is not a complete translation of the Latin.}}{{refn|Wilkins & Folkes, cited by Clarke,{{cite book |last=Clarke |first=William |title=The Connexion of the Roman, Saxon, and English Coins Deducing the Antiquities, Customs, and Manners of Each People to Modern Times; Particularly the Origin of Feudal Tenures, and of Parliaments: Illustrated throughout with Critical and Historical Remarks on Various Authors, both Sacred and Profane |date=1767 |location=London |publisher=W. Bowyer & J. Nichols |author-link=William Clarke (antiquary) |page=150 }} cited by Adams.}}

}}

9 Richard I c. 27 (1197):{{cite book|author1=Alfred Edward Bland|author2=Richard Henry Tawney|author-link2=R. H. Tawney|title=English economic history: select documents|url=https://archive.org/details/ajc0024.0001.001.umich.edu|access-date=9 January 2012|year=1919|publisher=Macmillan Co.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ajc0024.0001.001.umich.edu/page/154 154]–5}}

{{quote|

Assize of Measures

It is established that woollen cloths, wherever they be made, be made of the same width, to wit, of two ells within the lists [selvages], and of the same good quality in the middle and at the sides. Also the ell shall be the same in the whole realm and of the same length and the ell shall be of iron.}}

{{further|Composition of Yards and Perches}}

The statutes of uncertain date ({{langx|la|Statuta temporis incerti}}) are generally dated to the mid-to-late 13th century.{{cite book |title=The public general acts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KssuAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA270|access-date=8 February 2012|year=1863|publisher=Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports|page=270}}

;The Assize of Bread and Ale ({{lang|la|Assisa Panis et Cervisiae}}){{cite book |last=Smith |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Smith |title=An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rpMuAAAAYAAJ |year=1827 |orig-year=first published 1776|access-date=31 December 2011 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=rpMuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA77 p. 77] |publisher=Harvard University Press }}

:Sometimes dated to 51 Henry III (1267–68). Statute I - Section III:

:{{quote|By the Consent of the whole Realm of England, the measure of our Lord the King was made; that is to say, That the English Peny, called a Sterling, round and without clipping, shall weigh xxxii Wheat Corns in the midst of the Ear, and xx d. do make an Ounce, and xii Ounces one Pound, and Viii Pound do make a Gallon of Wine, and viii Gallons of Wine do make a London Bushel, which is the Eighth Part of a Quarter. Forasmuch as in our Parliament holden at Westminster, in the first Year of our Reign, we have granted that all good Statutes and Ordinances made in Times of our Progenitors aforesaid, and not revoked, shall be still held, we have caused, at the Request of the Bakers of our Town of Coventry, that the Ordinances aforesaid, by tenor of these Presents, shall be exemplified. In Witness whereof, &c. Whitness the King at Westminster, the xxii Day of March.{{cite book |editor-last=Ruffhead |editor-first=Owen |editor-link=Owen Ruffhead |title=The Statutes at Large |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ |volume= I: From Magna Charta to the End of the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time |location=London |publisher=Mark Basket for the Crown |date=1763a |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA22 22] |lang=en,la,nrf}}}}

;{{lang|la|Statutum de Pistoribus, et cetera}}{{cite book |title=Transactions of the Royal Historical Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oydbAAAAIAAJ |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=oydbAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA83 pp. 83–84] |publisher=Royal Historical Society |location=London |access-date=22 January 2012 |year=1880 }}{{nonspecific|reason=This is a journal that has been published for over 150 years. Cite the relevant article, not the entire journal|date=March 2025}} (The Statute concerning Bakers, et cetera){{anchor|Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris|Tractatus de Ponderibus|Compositio de Ponderibus|Assisa de Ponderibus et Mensuris|Assize of Weights and Measures||Weights and Measures Act 1303|Weights and Measures Act of 1303}}

;{{lang|la|Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris}}{{cite book |editor-last=Ruffhead |editor-first=Owen |editor-link=Owen Ruffhead |title=The Statutes at Large |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ |volume= I: From Magna Charta to the End of the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time |location=London |publisher=Mark Basket |date=1763a |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA148 148–149] |language=en,la,nrf}}

: Also known as the {{lang|la|Tractatus de Ponderibus}}, {{lang|la|Compositio de Ponderibus}} ("The Composition of Weights"), {{lang|la|Assisa de Ponderibus et Mensuris}} ("Assize of Weights and Measures") or the Weights and Measures Act 1303. In the Latin and English text, "hundred" (and the Latin numeral {{lang|la|c.}}) is used for four separate concepts: the Germanic long hundred of 120, the short hundred of 100, several units of either value, and a separate unit (the hundredweight) of 108 pounds.

:The form in which it appears in Cotton {{abbr|MS|manuscript}} Claudius D2 where it is dated to 31 Edw. I (1303) is:

:{{verse translation|lang=la

|Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris.

Per Ordinacionem tocius regni Anglie fuit mensura Domini Regis composita videlicet quod denarius qui vocatur sterlingus rotundus & sine tonsura ponderabit triginta duo grana frumenti in medio Spice.

Et uncia ponderabit viginti denarios. Et duodecim uncie faciunt libram London. Et duodecim libre & dimid’ faciunt petram London. Et octo libre frumenti faciunt galonem. Libra continet viginti solidos. Et octo galones faciunt bussellum London. Saccus lane debet ponderare viginti & octo petras & solebat ponderare unam summam frumenti & ponderat sextam partem unius carri de plumbo. sexies viginti petre faciunt carrum plumbi scilicet magnum carrum London’ set carrus del Peek est multo minus.

Item carrus plumbi constat ex triginta fotmallis & quodlibet fotmal continet sex petras duabus libris minus. Et quelibet petra habet duodecim libras & quelibet libra constat ex viginti quinque solidis in pondere. summa librarum in le fotmal lxx. summa petrarum in le Carre viii. xx. & xv. petre & probetur per sexies triginta que sunt novies viginti set in quolibet fotmal subtrahuntur due libre a predicta multiplicacione qe sunt lx. libre constituentes quinque petras. Ita sunt in le Carre viii. xx. xv. petre. secundum vero quosdam alios le Carre consistit ex xii. Weyes & hoc secundum troni ponderacionem. Weya enim tam plumbi quam lane lini sepi casei ponderabunt xiiii. petras.

Et duo Weye lane faciunt saccum. Et xii. sacci faciunt le last. Last vero allecis continet decem miliaria. Et quodlibet miliare continet x.c. Et quodlibet c. continet vi. xx.

Item last coriorum constat ex viginti dacris & quodlibet dacre constat ex decem coriis.

Item dacre Cirotecarum constat ex decem paribus dacre vero ferrorum equorum constat ex viginti ferris.

Item duodena cirotecarum pergameni & alute continet in suo genere xii. pelles vel xii. paria cirotecarum.

Item centena cere zucarii piperis cumini amigdalarum & alome continet xiii. petras & dimid’ & quelibet petra continet viii. li. summa librarum in centena cviii. libre. Et constat centem ex v. xx. Et quelibet libra ex viginti quinque solidis. Et sciend’ quod quelibet libra de denariis & speciebus utpote in electuariis consistit solummodo ex pondere xx. s. Libra vero omnium aliarum rerum consistit ex viginti quinque solidis. Uncia vero in electuariis consistit ex viginti denariis. Et libra continet xii. uncias. In aliis vero rebus libra continet quindecim uncias. uncia est hinc inde in pondere viginti denariorum. Centena lini & Canabi & linee tele consistit ex cent’ ulnis. Et quelibet Centena consistit ex vi. xx. Centena vero ferri & solidorum constat ex v. xx. Garba asseris constat ex triginta peciis. Duodena ferri ex sex peciis Item seem vitri constat ex xxiiii. petris & quelibet petra constat ex quinque libris. Et ita continet le seem vi. xx. libras.

Item binda anguillarum constat ex decem stiks. Et quelibet stik ex viginti quinque anguillis Binda pellium continet xxxii. timbr’ senellio cuniculorum & grisi continet quadraginta pelles. Cheef de fustiano constat ex tresdecim ulnis Caput sindonis ex decem ulnis Le rees allecium continet quindecim glenes. Et quodlibet glene continet viginti quinque capita. Item centene Mulvellorum & durorum piscium constat ex viii. xx.

|Treatise on Weights and Measures.

Per Ordinance of the whole realm of England the measure of the King is composed namely of a penny, which is called a sterling, round & without clipping, weighs thirty-two grains of wheat in the middle of the Ear.

And an ounce weighs twenty pence. And twelve ounces make a pound of London. And twelve & a half pounds make a stone of London. And eight pounds of wheat make a gallon. Pound contains twenty shillings. And eight gallons make a bushel of London.

Sacks of wool should weigh twenty-eight stones and usually weighs of wheat and weighs a sixth part of a load of lead. Six times twenty stone, make a load of lead, to wit the great load of London, but the load of the Peak is much less.

Also loads of lead consist of thirty fotmals, and each fotmal contains six stones minus two pounds. And each stone consists of twelve pounds, and each pound consists of twenty-five shillings in weight. The sum of the pounds in the fotmal is 70. The sum of the stones in the Load is 175 stones and is proved by six times thirty which is nine score (180) except for each fotmal subract two pounds multiplied as before (x30) which is 60 pounds constituting five stones. So there are in the load 175 stones. But according to some others the load consists of 12 Weys and this is according to troni weight, Wey for both lead and wool linen tallow cheese weighs 14 stones.

And two Weys of wool make a sack, And 12 sacks make a last. But a last of herrings contains 10 thousand, and each Thousand contains 10 hundred, and each hundred contains 120.

A last of leather consists of twenty dicker, and each dicker consists of ten skins.

Also a dicker of gloves consists of ten pairs, but a dicker of horse-shoes consists of twenty shoes.

Also a dozen of gloves, parchment, and vellum contains in its kind 12 skins, or 12 pairs of gloves.

Also a hundred of wax, sugar, pepper, cumin, almonds & alum, contains 13 stones & a half & each stone contains 8 pounds for a total of 108 pounds in the hundred. And appears as hundred of 100. And each pound of twenty-five shillings. And is to be known that each pound of money & species as in electuaries consists only of pounds of 20 shillings. But pounds for all other things consist of twenty five shillings. An Ounce in electuaries consists of twenty pence and pound contains 12 ounces. But in other things the pounds contains fifteen ounces, the ounce in either case weighs twenty pence. Also hundred of Canvass, and linen cloth consists of one hundred Ells and each hundred consists of 120. But the hundred of iron and shillings consists of 100. The sheaf of [steel] consists of thirty pieces. The Dozen of iron consists of six pieces. The seam of glass consists of 24 stones, and each stone consists of five pounds. And so contains the seam 120 pounds.

Also a bind of eels consists of ten sticks. And each stick of twenty-five eels. A bind of pelts consists of 32 timber of rabbits and squirrels contains forty pelts. A Chef of Fustian consists of thirteen Ells. A Chef of Sindon contains ten Ells. A Hundred of [Garlike] consisteth of fifteen Ropes, and every Rope containeth fifteen Heads. Also a Hundred of Mulvells and Hard Fish consists of 160.

|}

:The original Tractatus was written in Latin. Some later English translation copies contain differences that change the meaning.{{Refn|Per the 1810 Statutes of the Realm,{{cite book |title=Statutes of the Realm |volume=I |date=1810 |location=London |publisher=G. Eyre & A. Strahan |page=204 }} which differs in several particulars from the original Latin text, following Norman French copies or new emendations (shown in brackets). For a discussion of the textual changes (e.g., the Latin text described gallons of wheat) and relevant archaeological findings (e.g., that the penny during this period seems to have actually consisted of 30 Tower grains rather than 32), see the article at Sizes.com.}} One of the copies of the {{lang|la|Tractatus}} contains the first use of the word avoirdupois in England. However, the word does not refer to a weight system but to a class of goods: namely, heavy goods sold by weight rather than by capacity, count, or other means. However, it does not count as the first occurrence of the word in English.{{cite web |contribution=Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris |contribution-url=http://www.sizes.com/library/British_law/ponderibus.htm |title=Sizes.com |url=http://www.sizes.com |access-date=25 September 2014 }}{{anchor|Statutum de Admensuratione Terrase|Statute for the Measuring of Land}}

;Statutum de Admensuratione Terrase 33 Edw. 1 Stat. 6. (1305)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA152 p. 152].

:Also known as A Statute for the Measuring of Land or An Ordinance for Measuring of Land. "When an Acre of Land contianeth 10 Perches in Length, then it shall be in Breadth 16 Perches."{{anchor|Composition of Yards and Perches|Composition of Ells and Perches}}

; The Statute on the Composition of Yards and Perches

:{{langx|la|Compositio Ulnarum et Perticarum}} ({{literal translation|On the Composition of Arms [=Ells] and Perches}}) is dated to sometime between 1266 and 1303.{{cite book |editor-last=Ruffhead |editor-first=Owen |editor-link=Owen Ruffhead |title=The Statutes at Large |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Un1RAAAAYAAJ |volume=IX: From the Second Year of the Reign of King George the Third To the End of The Last Session of Parliament. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time. With a Copious Index. And An Appendix, consisting of Obscure and Curious Acts, some of which were never before printed. |location=London |publisher=Mark Basket |date=1765 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Un1RAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA421 421] }}Fowler (1884), [https://archive.org/details/transactions04survgoog/page/n298 p. 277]. Its content varies among surviving accounts. One reads:{{refn|{{abbr|BL|British Library}} Cotton {{abbr|MS|manuscript}} Claudius D2.}}

:{{verse translation|lang=la

|Ordinatum est quod tria grana ordei sicca et rotunda faciunt pollicem, et duodecim pollices faciunt pedem, tres pedes faciunt ulnam, quinque ulne et dimidia faciunt perticam, et quadraginta pertice in longitudine, et quatuor in latitudine, faciunt unam acram.

|It is ordained that 3 grains of barley dry and round do make an inch, 12 inches make 1 foot, 3 feet make 1 yard [lit. ell], 5 yards and a half make a perch [i.e., a rod], and 40 perches in length and 4 in breadth make an acre.

}}

:The Liber Horn account reads:{{cite book |last=Fowler |first=W. |title=Transactions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BSY1AAAAMAAJ |publisher=Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors |page=[https://archive.org/details/transactions04survgoog/page/n297 p. 276] |year=1884 |access-date=8 January 2012 }}{{nonspecific|reason=This is a journal. Cite the relevant article, not the entire journal|date=March 2025}}

:{{quote|And be it remembered that the iron yard of our Lord the King containeth 3 feet and no more, and a foot ought to contain 12 inches by the right measure of this yard measured, to wit, the 36th part of this yard rightly measured maketh 1 inch neither more nor less and 5 yards and a half make a perch that is 16 feet and a half measured by the aforesaid yard of our Lord the King.}}

:This document seems to have had the effect of redefining the yard, foot, inch, and barleycorn to {{frac|10|11}} of their previous values, but leaves the rod and acre unchanged. The rod thus became {{frac|16|1|2}} feet instead of 15.

{{anchor|9 Henry III c. 25|Magna Carta}}

9 Henry III c. 25 (1225):

{{verse translation|language|la|Una Mensura vini sit per totum regnum nostrum & una mensura cervise & una mensura bladi scilicet quarter’ London’ & una latitudo pannorum tinctorum Russettorum & haubergettorum scilicet due ulne infra Listas. De ponderibus vero sit sicut de mensuris.Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA7 p. 7].}}

|There shall be but one Measure throughout the Realm.

One measure of Wine shall be through our Realm, and one measure of Ale, and one measure of Corn, that is to say, the Quarter of London; and one breadth of dyed Cloth, Russets, and Haberjects, that is to say, two Yards within the lists. (2) And it shall be of Weights as it is of Measures.

}}

;Magna Carta

:Although signed in 1215, Magna Carta was not ratified by Parliament until 1225, by which time it had become substantially abridged. Chapter 35 of Magna Carta of 1215 (which dealt with weights and measures) became chapter 25 of Magna Carta of 1225.

; 14 Edw. 3 Stat. 1. c. 12 (1340)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA227 p. 227].

:{{quote|Bushels and Weights shall be made and sent into every Country.}}

; 18 Edw. 3 Stat. 2. c. 4 (1344)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA241 p. 241].

:{{quote|Commissions to assay Weights and Measures shall be repealed, and none such granted.}}{{anchor|25 Edward III st. 5 c. 9}}

; 25 Edw. 3 Stat. 5. c. 9 (1350)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA264 p. 264].

:{{verse translation|lang=nrf|Enfement pur ce qe tres grant damage & desceit est fait au people par tant qe plusours marchantz usent dachater & poiser leines & autres marchandises par une pois qest appelle Aunsell’ Acorde est & establi qe celle pois appelle Aunsell’ entre achatour et vendour soit del tout ofte & qe chescun vend & achat par balances iffint qe les balances soient owels & les leines & autres marchandises owelment poisez par droit pois & qe le sak de leine ne poise qe vint & sys peres & chescun pere poise quatorze livres & qe lestater de la balance ne encline ne a lune partie ne al autre & qe le pois soit acordant al estandard del Escheker. Et si nul achatour face al encontre soit grevousement puny sibien a la seute de partie come a la seute nostre Seignur le Roi.

|Auncel Weight shall be put out, and Weighing shall be by equal Balance.

Item, Whereas great Damage and Deceit is done to the People, for that divers Merchants use to buy and weigh Woolls and other Merchandises, by a Weight which is called Auncel; it is accorded and established, That this Weight called Auncel betwixt Buyers and Sellers, shall be wholly put out; (2) and that every Person do sell and buy by the Balance, so that the Balance be even, and the Woolls and other Merchandizes evenly weighed by the right Weight, so that the Sack of Wooll weigh no more but 26 Stones, and every Stone to weigh 14 l. and that the Beam of the Balance do not bow more to the one Part than to the other; (3) and that the Weight be according to the Standard of the Exchequer. (4) And if any Buyer do the contrary, he shall be grievously punished, as well at the Suit of the Party, as at the Suit of our Lord the King.

}}{{anchor|25 Edward III st. 5 c. 10}}

; 25 Edw. 3 Stat. 5. c. 10 (1350)

:{{verse translation|lang=nrf|Auxint come contenue soit en la Grande Chartre qe une mesure soit usee parmy tout Engleterre la quele chartre nad mie este tenu bien en ceo point avant ses heures si est acorde & assentu qe touz les mesures cest asavoir bussel dimid' bussel & peck galon potel & quart par toute Engleterre deinz fanchise & dehors soient acordauntz al estandard nostre Seignur le Roi & contiegne le quartre oet busselx par lestandard & nient pluis. Et soit chescune mesure de blee rase fanz comble sauvez les rentes & fermes des Seignurs queles soient avant ces heures. Et facent les purveours le Roi ma dame la Roigne & touz autres lours purveances par meismes les mesures rases & en meisme le manere Et a toutes les foitz qe mestier serra Nostre Seignur le Roi assignera certeines Justices en chescune countee denqueer & doier & terminer sur les pointz suisditz & de faire sur ce due punissement solone chescun trespas siebien a la seute de partie come a la seute le Roi. Iffint totes soitz qe toutes maneres des franchises soient sauvez as Seignurs en toutz pointz saunz nul emblemissement ent faire en quecumqe manere.

|Every Measure shall be according to the King's Standard; and shall be striked without Heap; saving the Rents of Lords.

Item, Whereas it is contained in the Great Charter, that one Measure shall be throughout England, which Charter hath not been well kept and holden in this Point in Times past; (2) it is accorded and assented, That all the Measures, that is to say, Bushels, Half-bushels, Peck, Gallon, Pottle, and Quart, throughout England, within the Franchises and without, shall be according to the King's Standard; (3) and the Quarter shall contain Eight Bushels by the Standard, and no more. (4) And every Measure of Corn shall be striken without Heap, saving the Rents and Ferms of Lords, which shall be measured by such Measures as they were wont in Times past. (5) And the Purveyors of the King, of the Queen, and all other, shall make their Purveyances by the same Measure striked in the same Manner, and at all Times that shall be needful. (6) And our Lord the King shall assign certain Justices in every County to inquire, hear, and determine upon the Points aforesaid, and upon the same to do Punishment according to the Trespass, as well at the Party's Suit, as at the King's; (7) so always, that all Manner of Franchises be saved to the Lords in all Points without Blemish to be made in any Manner.

}}{{anchor|27 Edward III st. 2 c. 10|Statute of the Staple}}

; 27 Edw. 3 Stat. 2. c. 10 (1353)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA279 p. 279].{{cite book |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ifQuAAAAIAAJ |volume=II: From the Fifteenth Year of Edward III. to the Thirteenth Year of King Hen. IV. inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table containing the Titles of all the Statutes during that Period |location=Cambridge |publisher=Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst |date=1762 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge62britgoog/page/n111 85–86] |language=en,nrf,la}}

:{{verse translation|lang=nrf

|... un pois, un mesure, et un verge soit per tut la terre ...

|There shall be but one Weight, Measure and Yard throughout the Realm.

... one weight, one measure [of volume], and one [measuring] stick shall there be through all the land...

}}

: A chapter of the Statute of the Staple that provides for justices to be appointed to hear charges of measuring fraud at the staple ports. Those found guilty were liable for quadruple damages and 2 years' imprisonment.{{anchor|Wool Act 1357}}

; 31 Edw. 3 Stat. 1. c. 2 (1357)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA290 pp. 290–291].

:{{quote|No Wool shall be bought by Fraud to abate the Price thereof. Weights shall be sent to all the Shires.}}

; 4 Ric. 2. c. 1 (1380)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA348 p. 348].

:{{quote|All Vessels of Wine, Honey, and Oil brought into this realm shall be gauged.}}

; 13 Ric. 2. Stat. 1. c. 9 (1389)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA387 p. 387].

:{{quote|There shall be but one Weight and one Measure throughout the Realm, saving in the County of Lancaster. The Weight of Wool, and the Refuse thereof.}}

; 15 Ric. 2. c. 4. (1391)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA401 p. 401].

:{{quote|There shall be but eight Bushels of Corn striked to the Quarter.}}{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1392}}

; 16 Ric. 2. c. 3. (1392)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA405 p. 405].

:{{quote|The Clerk of the Market shall carry with him all his Weights and Measures signed.}}

;{{anchor|Corn Measure Act 1413}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Corn Measure Act 1413

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act concerning the true Measure of Corn.

| year = 1413

| citation = 1 Hen. 5. c. 10

| territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Ireland}}

| royal_assent = 9 June 1413

| commencement = 14 May 1413{{efn|Start of session.}}

| repeal_date = 10 August 1872

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision (Ireland) Act 1872)

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA485

| collapsed = yes

}} 1 Hen. 5. c. 10 (1413),Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA485 p. 485].

: An Act concerning the true Measure of Corn.

;{{anchor|Gilding of Silver Act 1414}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Gilding of Silver Act 1414

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = There Shall be no gilding of Silver Ware but of the Allay of English Sterling.

| year = 1414

| citation = 2 Hen. 5. Stat. 2. c. 4

| territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Ireland}}

| royal_assent =

| commencement = 19 November 1414{{efn|Start of session.}}

| repeal_date = 21 July 1856

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623

| repealing_legislation = Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=sedbAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA4-PA6

| collapsed = yes

}} 2 Hen. 5. Stat. 2. c. 4 (1414)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA499 p. 499].

:{{quote|There Shall be no gilding of Silver Ware but of the Allay of English Sterling.}}

:First notice of troy weight in statute.{{cite book |title=? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sedbAAAAQAAJ |date=1864 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sedbAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA4-PA6 5–6] }}

;{{anchor|Weights, etc. Act 1429}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights, etc. Act 1429

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = Every City and Borough shall have a common Balance and Weight. Who may buy Wool and Yarn.

| year = 1429

| citation = 8 Hen. 6. c. 5

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Ireland}}

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 10 August 1872

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = {{ubli|Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623|Statute Law Revision Act 1863}}

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act (Ireland) 1872

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA542

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 8 Hen. 6. c. 5 (1429)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA542 pp. 542–544].

:{{quote|Every City and Borough shall have a common Balance and Weight. Who may buy Wool and Yarn.}}

;{{anchor|Cloth Measures Act 1439}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Cloth Measures Act 1439

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = There shall be but one Measure of Cloth through the Realm by the Yard and the Inch, and not by the Yard and Handful, according to the London Measure.

| year = 1439

| citation = 18 Hen. 6. c. 16

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =10 August 1872

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation =Statute Law Revision Act (Ireland) 1872

| related_legislation =

| status =Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA594

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 18 Hen. 6. c. 16 (1439)Ruffhead (1763a), [https://books.google.com/books?id=tKZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA594 p. 594].

:{{verse translation|lang=nrf

|Item – come il foit meritorie & almoigne a departer la veritee de la desciet si come jatarde en un parlement tenuz a Westm' la fuist ouste un rayme...

|There shall be but one Measure of Cloth through the Realm by the Yard and the Inch, and not by the Yard and Handful, according to the London Measure.

}}

;{{anchor|Vessels of Wine, etc. Act 1439}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Vessels of Wine, etc. Act 1439

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = Vessels of Wine, Oyl, and Honey, shall be gauged.

| year = 1439

| citation = 18 Hen. 6. c. 17

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 1 May 1825

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Repeal of Acts Concerning Importation Act 1822

| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1824

| related_legislation =

| status =

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 18 Hen. 6. c. 17 (1439)

:Vessels of Wine, Oyl, and Honey, shall be gauged.

:{{verse translation|lang=nrf|Item – pur ceo qe toutz les tonels pipes tertians & hoggeshedes de vin oyle & mele ...

|Item – Because all the Tuns, Pipes, Tertians and Hogsheads of Wine, Oyl, and Honey...

}}

;{{anchor|11 Henry VII c. 4|Weights and Measures Act 1495}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1495

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for Weights and Measures.

| year = 1495

| citation = 11 Hen. 7. c. 4

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 10 August 1872

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation = Statute Law Revision (Ireland) Act 1872

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA309

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 11 Hen. 7. c. 4 (1494){{cite book |editor-last=Evans |editor-first=William David |editor-link=William David Evans |editor2-last=Hammond |editor2-first=Anthony |editor3-last=Granger |editor3-first=Thomas Colpitts |display-editors=1 |ref={{harvid|Evans|1836}} |date=1836 |title=A Collection of Statutes connected with the General Administration of the Law; Arranged According to the Order of Subjects: With Notes, 3rd ed. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ |volume=VIII |location=London |publisher=W.H. Bond & al. |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA309 309–310] }}.

:An Act for Weights and Measures.

:{{quote|The Names of the Cities and Towns limited for the keeping of Weights and Measures.}}

;{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1496}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1496

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for Weights and Measures.

| year = 1496

| citation = 12 Hen. 7. c. 5

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA312

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 12 Hen. 7. c. 5 (1496)Evans (1836), [https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA312 pp. 312–313].

:An Act for Weights and Measures.

:{{quote|That the Measure of a Bushel contain viij. Gallons of Wheat, and that every Gallon contain viij. li. of Wheat of Troy Weight, and every Pound contain xij. Ounces of Troy Weight, and every Ounce contain xx. Sterlings, and every Sterling be of the Weight of xxxij. Corns of Wheat that grew in the Midst of the Ear of Wheat, according to the old Laws of this Land.}}

; Verdict of the Pyx 18 Henry VIII (1527){{cite book |title=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxxMAAAAYAAJ |access-date=7 January 2012 |year=1856 |publisher=Royal Society |location=London |pages=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxxMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA753 753–754 }}{{issue needed|reason=This is not a book but a journal that has been published for over 350 years. Cite the article with volume and issue, not the entire journal|date=March 2025}}

:{{quote|And whereas heretofore the merchaunte paid for coynage of every pounde Towre of fyne gold weighing xi oz. quarter Troye ii s. vi d. Nowe it is determyned by the king's highness, and his said councelle that the foresaid pounde Towre shall be no more used and occupied but al maner of golde and sylver shall be wayed by the pounde Troye, which maketh xii oz. Troy, which exceedith the pounde Towre in weight iii quarters of the oz.}}

;{{anchor|Brewers and Coopers Act 1531}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Brewers and Coopers Act 1531

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act that no Brewers of Beer or Ale shall make their Barrels, Kilderkins nor Firkins, within them; and how much the same Barrels, &c. shall contain.

| year = 1531

| citation = 23 Hen. 8. c. 4

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 14 May 1532

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge14britgoog/page/n251

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 23 Hen. 8. c. 4 (1531){{cite book |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large |volume=IV: From the First Year of King Richard III. to the Thirty-first Year of King Henry VIII. inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table containing the Titles of all the Statutes during that Period. |location=Cambridge |publisher=Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UlMDAAAAQAAJ |date=1763d |pages=[https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge14britgoog/page/n251 219–223] |lang=en,la}}

:An Act that no Brewers of Beer or Ale shall make their Barrels, Kilderkins or Firkins within them, and how much the same Barrels, et cetera shall contain.

;{{anchor|Sale of Flesh Act 1532}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Sale of Flesh Act 1532

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for Flesh to be sold by Weight.

| year = 1532

| citation = 24 Hen. 8. c. 3

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 7 April 1533

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 24 Hen. 8. c. 3 (1532)Pickering (1763d), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge14britgoog/page/n284 p. 252].

:An Act for flesh to be sold by weight, and the prices limited.

:{{quote|Beef, pork, mutton and veal shall be sold by weight called Haver-de-pois.}}

;{{anchor|Flax and Hemp Act 1532}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Flax and Hemp Act 1532

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act concerning sowing of Flax and Hemp.

| year = 1532

| citation = 24 Hen. 8. c. 4

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 7 April 1533

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 24 Hen. 8. c. 4 (1532)

:An Act concerning sowing of Flax and Hemp.

:{{quote|An acre shall be counted 160 perches, and every perch 16-foot and a half.}}

;{{anchor|Woollen Cloth Act 1551}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Woollen Cloth Act 1551

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for the true making of Woolen Cloth.

| year = 1551

| citation = 5 & 6 Edw. 6. c. 6

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 15 April 1552

| commencement = 23 January 1552{{efn|Start of session.}}

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 21 July 1856

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623

| repealing_legislation = Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856

| related_legislation = Woollen Cloths Act 1557

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915519&seq=224

| collapsed = yes

}} 5 & 6 Edw. 6. c. 6 (1552){{cite book |editor-last=Ruffhead |editor-first=Owen |editor-link=Owen Ruffhead |date=1763b |title=The Statutes at Large |volume=II: From the First Year of King Edward the Fourth To the End of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Publick and Private Statutes during that Time. |location=London |publisher=Mark Basket for the Crown |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2KZFAAAAcAAJ |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2KZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA442 442] }}

:An Act for the true making of Woolen Cloth.

:{{quote|XIV. And that all and every Broad Cloth and Clothes called Taunton Clothes, Bridgwaters, and other Clothes which shall be made after the said Feast in Taunton, Bridgwater or in other Places of like Sort, shall contain at the Water in Length betwixt twelve and thirteen Yards, Yard and Inch of the Rule, and in Breadth seven Quarters of a Yard: (2) And every narrow Cloth made after the said Feast in the said Towns or elsewhere of like Sorts, shall contain in the Water in Length betwixt three and twenty and five and twenty Yards, Yard and Inch as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard of like Measure; (3) and every such Cloth, both Broad and Narrow being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxxiv. li. the Piece at the least.

XV. And that all Clothes named Check-Kersie and Straits, which shall be made after the said Feast shall contain being wet between seventeen and eighteen Yards, with the Inches as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard at the least at the Water; and being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxiv. li. the Piece at the least.

;{{anchor|Woollen Cloths Act 1557}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Woollen Cloths Act 1557

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act towching the making of Wollen Clothes.

| year = 1557

| citation = 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 5

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 7 March 1558

| commencement = 20 January 1558

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = {{ubli|Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623|Woollen Manufacture Act 1809}}

| repealing_legislation = City of London Courts of Justice Act 1815

| related_legislation = Woollen Cloth Act 1551

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=R7CZMMbcOx4C&pg=PA323

| collapsed = yes

}} 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 5. par. IX (1557–58){{cite book |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large |volume=VI: From the First Year of Q. Mary, to the Thirty-fifth Year of Q. Elizabeth, inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table containing the Titles of all the Statutes during that period. |location=Cambridge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dvouAAAAIAAJ |publisher=Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst |date=1763f |page=[https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge58britgoog/page/n120 96] }}

:An act touching the making of woolen clothes.

:{{quote|IX. Item, That every ordinary kersie mentioned in the said act shall contain in length in the water betwixt xvi. and xvii. yards, yard and inch; and being well scoured thicked, milled, dressed and fully dried, shall weigh nineteen pounds the piece at the least: ...}}

;{{anchor|Wax Act 1580}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Wax Act 1580

| type = act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act touching the true melting, making and working of Wax.

| year = 1580

| citation = 23 Eliz. 1. c. 8

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =England and Wales

| royal_assent = 18 March 1581

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 21 July 1856

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856

| related_legislation =

| status = repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915519&seq=760

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 23 Eliz. 1. c. 8 (1581)Pickering (1763f), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge58britgoog/page/n266 p. 342].

:An Act touching the true melting, making and working of Wax.

:{{quote|... fill and sell or cause to be filled or sold or offered to be sold any Barrel, Kilderkin or Firkin with Honey, for or in the Name of a Barrel, Kilderkin or Firkin containing less than two and thirty Wine Gallons the Barrel, sixteen Wine Gallons the Kilderkin, and eight Wine Gallons the Firkin; every Person and Persons so offending shall forfeit and lose for every Half Gallon so lacking five Shillings of English Money.}}

;{{anchor|35 Elizabeth c. 6|Restriction on Building Act 1592}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Restriction on Building Act 1592

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act against converting of great Houses into several Tenements, and for Restraint of Inmates and Inclosures, in and near about the City of London and Westminster.

| year = 1592

| citation = 35 Eliz. 1. c. 6

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 10 April 1593

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 27 March 1888

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1888

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 35 Eliz. 1. c. 6 (1593)Pickering (1763f), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge58britgoog/page/n457 p. 433].

:An Act against converting of great Houses into several Tenements, and for Restraint of Inmates and Inclosures, in and near about the City of London and Westminster.

:{{quote|A Mile shall contain eight Furlongs, every Furlong forty Poles, and every Pole shall contain sixteen Foot and an half.Ruffhead (1763b), [https://books.google.com/books?id=2KZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=676 p. 676.]}}

:This is the codification and namesake of the statute mile.

;{{anchor|Cloth Act 1592}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Cloth Act 1592

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An act for the reformation of sundry abuses in clothes, called Devonshire kersies or dozens, according to a proclamation of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of our sovereign lady the Queen that now is.

| year = 1592

| citation = 35 Eliz. 1. c. 10

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 10 April 1593

| commencement = 1 July 1593{{efn|Section 1.}}

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 15 June 1809

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601

| repealing_legislation = Woollen Manufacture Act 1809

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915502&seq=106

| collapsed = yes

}} 35 Eliz. 1. c. 10. par. III (1593)Pickering (1763f), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge58britgoog/page/n468 p. 444].

:An act for the reformation of sundry abuses in clothes, called Devonshire kersies or dozens, according to a proclamation of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of our sovereign lady the Queen that now is.

:{{quote|(2) and each and every of the same Devonshire kersies or dozens, so being raw, and as it cometh forth off the weaver's loom (without racking, stretching, straining or other device to encrease the length thereof) shall contain in length between fifteen and sixteen yards by the measure of yard and inch by the rule, ...}}

;{{anchor|Clerk of the Market Act 1640}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Clerk of the Market Act 1640

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for the better ordering and regulating of the Office of Clerk of the Market, allowed and confirmed by this Statutes; and for the Reformation of false Weights and Measures.

| year = 1640

| citation = 16 Cha. 1. c. 19

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 10 August 1641

| commencement = 3 November 1640{{efn|Start of session.}}

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915564&view=1up&seq=161

| collapsed = yes

}} 16 Cha. 1. c. 19 (1640){{cite book |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large |volume=VII: From the Thirty-ninth Year of Q. Elizabeth, to the Twelfth Year of K. Charles II. inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table containing the Titles of all the Statutes during that Period. |location=Cambridge |date=1763g |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26c3AAAAMAAJ |publisher=Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=26c3AAAAMAAJ&pg=Pg353 353–355] }}

:An Act for the better ordering and regulating of the Office of Clerk of the Market, allowed and confirmed by this Statutes; and for the Reformation of false Weights and Measures.

;{{anchor|Measures Act 1670}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Measures Act 1670

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corne and Salt.

| year = 1670

| citation = 22 Cha. 2. c. 8

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 11 April 1670

| commencement = 29 September 1670

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://www.british-history.ac.uk/statutes-realm/vol5/pp662-663

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 22 Cha. 2 c. 8 (1670){{cite book |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large |volume=VIII: From the Twelfth Year of King Charles II., to the Last Year of King James II. inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table containing the Titles of all the Statutes during that Period. |location=Cambridge |date=1763h |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wKg3AAAAMAAJ |publisher=Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=wKg3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA287 287–289] }}

:An Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corn and Salt.

:First mention of the Winchester bushel in statute.

;{{anchor|Measures (No. 2) Act 1670}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Measures (No. 2) Act 1670

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An additional Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corn and Salt.

| year = 1670

| citation = 22 & 23 Cha. 2. c. 12

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 22 April 1671

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 28 July 1863

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1863

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://www.british-history.ac.uk/statutes-realm/vol5/pp722-723

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 22 & 23 Cha. 2. c. 12 (1670)Pickering (1763h), [https://books.google.com/books?id=wKg3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA353 pp. 353–355.]

:An additional Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corn and Salt.

;8 & 9 Will. 3 c. 22. s. 9 (1696–7){{cite book |last=Townsend |first=George Henry |author-link=George Henry Townsend |title=The Manual of Dates: A Dictionary of Reference to All the Most Important Events in the History of Mankind to be Found in Authentic Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ePhtAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 January 2012 |year=1877 |publisher=Frederick Warne |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ePhtAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA175 p. 175] }}{{cite encyclopedia |editor-last=Brewster |editor-first=D. |title=Bushel |encyclopedia=The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBLkt527o6IC |access-date=31 January 2012 |year=1830 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=KBLkt527o6IC&pg=PA150 p. 150] }}

:{{quote|... every round bushel with a plain and even bottom being eighteen inches and a half wide throughout and eight inches deep shall be determined a legal Winchester bushel according to the Standard of His Majesty's Exchequer.}}

:First definition of the Winchester bushel in statute (≈2,150.42 cubic inches).

;{{anchor|Ale Measures Act 1698}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Ale Measures Act 1698

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for the ascertaining the Measures for retailing Ale and Beer.

| year = 1698

| citation = 11 Will. 3. c. 15{{br}}(Ruffhead: 11 & 12 Will. 3. c. 15)

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 11 April 1700

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 15 July 1867

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1867

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 11 Will. 3. c. 15 (1700){{cite book |editor-last=Raithby |editor-first=John |editor2-last=Tomlins |editor2-first=Thomas Edlyne |display-editors=1 |ref={{harvid|Raithby|1811}} |date=1811 |title=The Statutes at Large, of England and of Great-Britain: From Magna Carta to the Union of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BIlKAAAAYAAJ |volume=VI: From 8 William III. A.D. 1696.—To 6 Anne, A.D. 1707 |location=London |publisher=George Eyre & Andrew Strahan for the Crown |pages=[https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge02raitgoog/page/n228 274–277] }}.

:An Act for ascertaining the Measures for retailing Ale and Beer.

;{{anchor|Water Measure of Fruit Act 1702}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Water Measure of Fruit Act 1702

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act to ascertain the water measure of fruit.

| year = 1702

| citation = 1 Ann. c. 9{{br}}(Ruffhead: 1 Ann. St. 1. c. 15)

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 6 May 1702

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =21 July 1856

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = Weights and Measures Act 1824

| repealing_legislation = Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =https://archive.org/details/pp63095177/page/60

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}} 1 Ann. c. 9 (1701)Raithby (1811), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge02raitgoog/page/n301 p. 349].

:An Act to ascertain the Water Measure of Fruit.

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Taxation (No. 5) Act 1706

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of Great Britain

| long_title = An Act for continuing several Subsidies, Impositions and Duties and for making Provisions therein mentioned to raise Money by Way of Loan for the Service of the War, and other Her Majesty's necessary and important Occasions, and for ascertaining the Wine Measure.

| year = 1706

| citation = 6 Ann. c. 27{{br}}(Ruffhead: 5 Ann. c. 27)

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 8 April 1707

| commencement = 3 December 1706

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 15 July 1867

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1867

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Taxation (No. 5) Act 1706}} (6 Ann. c. 27)Raithby (1811), [https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge01raitgoog/page/n647 p. 607].

:An Act for continuing several Subsidies, Impositions and Duties and for making Provisions therein mentioned to raise Money by Way of Loan for the Service of the War, and other Her Majesty's necessary and important Occasions, and for ascertaining the Wine Measure.

:{{quote|... any Vessel containing two hundred thirty one cubical Inches and no more shall be deemed and taken to be a lawful Wine Gallon ...}}

:This statute is the origin of the US gallon, also known as the Queen Anne Gallon, Queen Anne Wine Gallon, or pre-1824 British gallon.

{{anchor|False Weights and Scales Act of 1770}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = False Weights and Scales Act 1770

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of Great Britain

| long_title = An Act for more effectually preventing Traders in exciseable Commodities from using false Weights and Scales and for explaining and amending several Acts of Parliament relating to Hackney Coaches and Chairs.

| year = 1770

| citation = 10 Geo. 3. c. 44

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 19 May 1770

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = {{ubli|Statute Law Revision Act 1867|Statute Law Revision Act 1887|Statute Law Revision Act 1888}}

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status =

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|False Weights and Scales Act 1770}} (10 Geo. 3. c. 44){{cite book |editor-last=Fitzgerald |editor-first=Gerald Augustus Robert |editor2-last=Rickards |editor2-first=George Kettilby |editor3-last=Smith |editor3-first=Philip Vernon |editor4-last=Selfe |editor4-first=William Lucius |editor5-last=Wood |editor5-first=Arthur John |display-editors=1 |ref={{harvid|Fitzgerald|1871}} |title=The Statutes: Revised Edition |volume=II: William & Mary to 10 George III. A.D. 1688—1770. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=brouAAAAIAAJ |location=London |publisher=George Edward Eyre & William Spottiswoode |date=1871 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=brouAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA719 719–720] }}.

:An Act for more effectually preventing Traders in exciseable Commodities from using false Weights and Scales and for explaining and amending several Acts of Parliament relating to Hackney Coaches and Chairs.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1795}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1795

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of Great Britain

| long_title = An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances.

| year = 1795

| citation = 35 Geo. 3. c. 102

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments = {{ubli|Weights and Measures Act 1797|Statute Law Revision Act 1871}}

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status = Amended

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1795}} (35 Geo. 3. c. 102){{Citation |editor-last=Pickering |editor-first=Danby |editor-link=Danby Pickering |title=The Statutes at Large: Continued. |location=Cambridge |publisher=John Burges for J. Johnson & al. |volume=XL: The Fifth Session of the Seventeenth Parliament of Great Britain. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lL0uAAAAIAAJ |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=lL0uAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA363 363–365] |date=1795 }}

:An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances.

;{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1797|Weights and Measures Act of 1797}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1797

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of Great Britain

| long_title = An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, "An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances."

| year = 1797

| citation = 37 Geo. 3. c. 143

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 20 July 1797

| commencement = 10 July 1797

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date = 21 August 1871

| amends = Weights and Measures Act 1795

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law Revision Act 1871

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = {{GBurl|7wjKeKNK9qUC|page=493}}

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1797}} (37 Geo. 3. c. 143){{Citation |editor-last=Runnington |editor-first=Charles |editor-link=Charles Runnington |title=The Statutes at Large |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taZFAAAAcAAJ |volume=XIII or XVII: From the Thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, To the Thirty-eighth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, inclusive. To which is prefixed, A Table of the Titles of all the Public and Private Statutes during that Time. With a Copious Index. |publisher=George Eyre & Andrew Strahan for the Crown |date=1798 |location=London |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=taZFAAAAcAAJ&pg=677 677–679] }}

:An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1815}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1815

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of false and deficient Measures.

| year = 1815

| citation = 55 Geo. 3. c. 43

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent =

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces =

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1878

| related_legislation =

| status = repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text =

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG =

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1815}} (55 Geo. 3. c. 43)Evans (1836), [https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA325 pp. 325–327].

:An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of false and deficient Measures.

{{anchor|1824|Weights and Measures Act of 1824}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1824

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures.

| year = 1824

| citation = 5 Geo. 4. c. 74

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = United Kingdom

| royal_assent = 17 June 1824

| commencement = 1 May 1825{{efn|Section 1.}}

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces = {{ubli|Navigation Act 1571|Water Measure of Fruit Act 1702}}

| amendments = {{ubli|Standards of Weights, Measures, and Coinage Act 1866|Weights and Measures Act 1878|Statute Law Revision Act 1873|Statute Law Revision Act 1890}}

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status = Amended

| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo4/5/74/contents/enacted

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1824}} (5 Geo. 4. c. 74){{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1824/74/pdfs/ukpga_18240074_en.pdf | title = An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures (17 June 1824) | website= legislation.gov.uk | date = 17 June 1824 | access-date= 19 January 2020 }}. (The date of coming into effect was 1 May 1825).

:An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures.

:{{quote|And whereas not withstanding it is provided by the Great Charter, that there shall be but one Measure and one Weight throughout the Realm, and by the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland, that the same Weights and Measures should be used throughout Great Britain as were then established in England, yet different Weights and Measures, some larger, and some less, are still in use in various Places throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the true Measure of the present Standards is not verily known, which is the Cause of great Confusion and of manifest Frauds: For the Remedy and Prevention of these Evils for the future, and to the End that certain Standards of Weights and Measures should be established throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; be it therefore enacted ...}}

:This is the origin of Imperial units. This statute repeals nearly all previous weights and measures legislation, listing them in chronological order (by regnal year but without dates) beginning with "ancient statutes of uncertain date".

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1825}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1825

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to prolong the Time of the Commencement of an Act of the last Session of Parliament, for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures and to amend the said Act.

| year = 1825

| citation = 6 Geo. 4 c. 12

| introduced_commons =

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| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 31 March 1825

| commencement = 31 March 1825

| expiry_date =

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| amendments = Statute Law Revision Act 1873

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1825}} (6 Geo. 4 c. 12)Evans (1836), [https://books.google.com/books?id=sbcuAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA306 pp. 306–327.]

:An Act to prolong the Time of the Commencement of an Act of the last Session of Parliament, for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures and to amend the said Act.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1834}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1834

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend and render more effectual Two Acts of the Fifth and Sixth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Fourth, relating to Weights and Measures.

| year = 1834

| citation = 4 & 5 Will. 4. c. 49

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1834}} (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. 49){{Citation |title=A Collection of the Public General Statutes Passed in the Fourth and Fifth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, 1834 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50ovAAAAIAAJ |date=1834 |location=London |publisher=George Eyre & Andrew Spottiswoode for the Crown | pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=50ovAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA217 217–226] }}

:An Act to amend and render more effectual Two Acts of the Fifth and Sixth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Fourth, relating to Weights and Measures.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1835}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1835

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to repeal an Act of the Fourth and Fifth Year of His present Majesty relating to Weights and Measures, and to make other Provisions instead thereof.

| year = 1835

| citation = 5 & 6 Will. 4 c. 63

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = United Kingdom

| royal_assent = 9 September 1835

| commencement = 9 September 1835{{efn|The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793.}}

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

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| replaces = Weights and Measures Act 1834

| amendments = {{ubli|Standards of Weights, Measures, and Coinage Act 1866|Statute Law Revision Act 1874}}

| repealing_legislation =

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1835}} 5 & 6 Will. 4. c. 63 (1835){{cite book |title=A Compendious Abstract of the Public General Acts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: 5 & 6 William IV.—1835; Being the First Session of the Twelfth Parliament of Such United Kingdom, from the Law Journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=woJRAAAAYAAJ |volume=XIII |publisher=James Holmes for Edward Bret Ince |location=London |date=1835 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=woJRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA137 137–145] }}

:Also known as the Weights and Measures Act 1835; originally entitled An Act to repeal an Act of the Fourth and Fifth Year of His present Majesty relating to Weights and Measures, and to make other Provisions instead thereof.

:Established the imperial stone and hundredweight of 14 and 112 lbs. respectively, based on the wool stone of Edward III.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1855}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1855

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act for legalising and preserving the restored Standards of Weights and Measures.

| year = 1855

| citation = 18 & 19 Vict. c. 72

| introduced_commons =

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| territorial_extent = United Kingdom

| royal_assent = 30 July 1855

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1855}} (18 & 19 Vict. c. 72){{cite book|title=A collection of public general statutes passed in the 18th and 19th years of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L1YMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA273|access-date=5 January 2012|year=1855|pages=273–75}}

:An Act for legalising and preserving the restored Standards of Weights and Measures.

:The 1834 burning of Parliament had destroyed the physical standards referred to in earlier statues; the 1835 act ignored this fact. New copies were created in accordance with the advice of a scientific commission, and the 1855 act made them the "restored Standards".

:{{quote|... the Imperial Standard Pound Avoirdupois and shall be deemed to be the only Standard Measure of Weight from which all other Weights and other Measures having Reference ...}}

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1859}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1859

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend the Act of the fifth and sixth years of King William the Fourth, chapter sixty-three, relating to weights and measures.

| year = 1859

| citation = 22 & 23 Vict. c. 56

| introduced_commons =

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| royal_assent = 13 August 1859

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1859}} (22 & 23 Vict. c. 56){{cite book|author=Great Britain|title=The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1807–1865)|url=https://archive.org/details/statutesunitedk13britgoog|access-date=6 January 2012|year=1859|publisher=His Majesty's statute and law printers|pages=[https://archive.org/details/statutesunitedk13britgoog/page/n176 164]–8}}

:An Act to amend the Act of the fifth and sixth years of King William the Fourth, chapter sixty-three, relating to weights and measures.

{{anchor|Metric Weights and Measures Act of 1864}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Metric Weights and Measures Act 1864

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to render permissive the Use of the Metric System of Weights and Measures.

| year = 1864

| citation = 27 & 28 Vict. c. 117

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 29 July 1864

| commencement =

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{{visible anchor|Metric Weights and Measures Act 1864}} (27 & 28 Vict. c. 117){{cite book|author=Great Britain|title=A collection of the public general statutes passed in the ... year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulUMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA576|access-date=14 January 2012|year=1864|pages=575–7}}

:An Act to render permissive the Use of the Metric System of Weights and Measures.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1878}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1878{{efn|Section 1.}}

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Weights and Measures.

| year = 1878

| citation = 41 & 42 Vict. c. 49

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent = United Kingdom{{efn|Section 3.}}

| royal_assent = 8 August 1878

| commencement = 1 January 1879{{efn|Section 2.}}

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces = {{ubli|Weights and Measures Act 1815|Standards of Weights, Measures, and Coinage Act 1866}}

| amendments = {{ubli|Statute Law Revision Act 1883|Summary Jurisdiction Act 1884}}

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status =

| original_text = https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CDr8v-v6QewC&pg=RA15-PA1

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1878}} (41 & 42 Vict. c. 49){{cite book|author=Great Britain|title=Statutes at large|url=https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge15unkngoog|access-date=31 December 2011|year=1878|pages=[https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge15unkngoog/page/n320 308]–341}}

:An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Weights and Measures.

:This statute abolished the troy pound, effective January 1879.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Weights and Measures |volume= 28 |last= Chaney |first= Henry James | pages = 477–494; see page 480}}

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1889}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1889

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act for amending the Law relating to Weights and Measures and for other purposes connected therewith.

| year = 1889

| citation = 52 & 53 Vict. c. 21

| introduced_commons =

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1889}} (52 & 53 Vict. c. 21){{cite book|author=Sir Christopher Rawlinson|title=The municipal corporations acts and other enactments: relating to the powers and duties of municipal corporations thereon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=stUZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA445|access-date=14 January 2012|year=1903|publisher=Sweet & Maxwell, 1903.|pages=445–52}}

:An Act for amending the Law relating to Weights and Measures and for other purposes connected therewith.

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title =

| year = 1892

| citation = 55 & 56 Vict. c. 18

| introduced_commons =

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| related_legislation =

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892}} (55 & 56 Vict. c. 18)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1893}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1893

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend the Law relating to Weights and Measures.

| year = 1893

| citation = 56 & 57 Vict. c. 19

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 29 June 1893

| commencement = 1 April 1894

| expiry_date =

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| replaces =

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| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1963

| related_legislation =

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| original_text = https://archive.org/details/lrpgsv3018934/page/n141/mode/1up

| revised_text =

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}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1893}} (56 & 57 Vict. c. 19)

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to legalise the Use of Weights and Measures of the Metric System.

| year = 1897

| citation = 60 & 61 Vict. c. 46

| introduced_commons =

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| royal_assent = 6 August 1897

| commencement =

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| related_legislation =

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897}} (60 & 61 Vict. c. 46){{cite book|title=The Law journal reports|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4icyAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA109|access-date=14 January 2012|volume=66|year=1897|publisher=E.B. Ince|page=109}}

:An Act to legalise the Use of Weights and Measures of the Metric System.

;{{anchor|Weights and Measures Acts 1878 to 1893}} {{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Acts of 1878 to 1893}}

: This collective title encompassed the following acts:The Short Titles Act 1896, s. 2(1) & Schedule 2.

:*Weights and Measures Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c 49)

:*Weights and Measures Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c 21)

:*Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. c. 18)

:*Weights and Measures Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 19)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1904}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1904

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend the Law relating to Weights and Measures.

| year = 1904

| citation = 4 Edw. 7 c. 28

| introduced_commons =

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| royal_assent = 15 August 1904

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1904}} (4 Edw. 7 c. 28){{cite book|author=Great Britain. Board of Trade|title=Weights and measures acts, 1878–1904|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RAsUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA6|access-date=14 January 2012|year=1907|publisher=HMSO |page=3}}

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1926|Weights and Measures Act of 1926}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act 1926

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend the law with respect to measuring instruments, and with respect to the power to charge fees in connection with the testing of weighing and measuring apparatus.

| year = 1926

| citation = 16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 8

| introduced_commons =

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| related_legislation =

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act 1926}} (16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 8)

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act 1926

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title =

| year = 1926

| citation = 16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 63

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 15 December 1926

| commencement =

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| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1963

| related_legislation =

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{{visible anchor|Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act 1926}} (16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 63)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1963}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1963

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to make amended provision with respect to weights and measures, and for connected purposes.

| year = 1963

| citation = 1963 c. 31

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 31 July 1963

| commencement =

| expiry_date =

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| replaces = {{ubli|Weights and Measures Act 1889|Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892|Weights and Measures Act 1893|Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897|Weights and Measures Act 1904|Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act 1926|Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act 1926|Weights and Measures Act 1936|Weights and Measures, Sale of Coal (Scotland) Act 1936}}

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1985

| related_legislation =

| status = repealed

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/31/enacted

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG = no

| UK-LEG_title =

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1963}}{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/31|title=UK Public General Act 1963 c. 31|publisher=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=25 September 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1963/1710/contents/made|title=The Weights and Measures Regulations 1963|publisher=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=25 September 2014}}{{cite book|first=Ronald Edward |last=Zupko|author-link=Ronald Edward Zupko|title=Revolution in measurement: Western European weights and measures since the age of science|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_uYCNFkRgXCoC|access-date=22 January 2012|year=1990|publisher=American Philosophical Society|isbn=978-0-87169-186-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_uYCNFkRgXCoC/page/n273 261]}} (c. 31)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1976|Weights and Measures Act of 1976|Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to amend certain enactments relating to weights and measures; and to make provision for the alleviation of shortages of food and other goods.

| year = 1976

| citation = 1976 c. 77

| introduced_commons =

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| royal_assent = 22 November 1976

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| UK-LEG_title = Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures etc. Act 1976}}{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/77/contents |title=Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976 |publisher=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=25 September 2014}} (c. 77)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act of 1979}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1979

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to make further provision with respect to weights and measures.

| year = 1979

| citation = 1979 c. 45

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 4 April 1979

| commencement =

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| replaces = Cran Measures Act 1908

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation = Weights and Measures Act 1985

| related_legislation =

| status = repealed

| legislation_history =

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| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/45/enacted

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{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1979}}{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/45/pdfs/ukpga_19790045_en.pdf|title=Weights and Measures Act 1979|publisher=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=31 May 2022}} (c. 45)

: This act introduces the average quantity principle for packaged goods into UK law for the first time. The 1979 Act was replaced by Part V of the 1985 Act.

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1985|Weights and Measures Act of 1985}}{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Weights and Measures Act 1985

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to weights and measures.

| year = 1985

| citation = 1985 c. 72

| introduced_commons =

| introduced_lords =

| territorial_extent =

| royal_assent = 30 October 1985

| commencement = 30 January 1986

| expiry_date =

| repeal_date =

| amends =

| replaces = {{ubl|Weights and Measures Act 1963|Weights and Measures Act 1979}}

| amendments =

| repealing_legislation =

| related_legislation =

| status = amended

| legislation_history =

| theyworkforyou =

| millbankhansard =

| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/enacted

| revised_text =

| use_new_UK-LEG = yes

| UK-LEG_title = Weights and Measures Act 1985

| collapsed = yes

}}

{{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act 1985}}{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Weights, Measures, and Units, 2002 |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofweig0000fenn |url-access=registration |editor=Donald Fenna |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-860522-6 |year=2002 }} (c. 72)

:The act defines the four primary units of measurement as the metre or the yard (defined in terms of the metre) for length, and the kilogram or pound (defined in terms of the kilogram) for mass. The act also requires standard physical examples to be maintained (known as "United Kingdom primary standards") for each of the four primary units.

:In addition, the definitions of units which are multiples or sub-multiples of the primary units are defined, in terms of the primary units, and given as: mile, foot, inch, kilometre, decimetre, centimetre, millimetre, acre, square yard, square foot, hectare, decare, are, square metre, square decimetre, square centimetre, square millimetre, cubic metre, cubic decimetre, cubic centimetre, hectolitre, litre, decilitre, centilitre, millilitre, gallon, quart, pint, gill, fluid ounce, pound, ounce, ounce troy, tonne, kilogram, hectogram, gram, carat (metric) and milligram.

:As originally enacted, the act also defined, in the same way, units which could not be used for trade as: furlong, chain, square mile, rood, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple, metric ton and quintal.

:{{As of|January 2020}}, following multiple amendments over the years since enactment, the metre, yard, kilogram and pound remain as the primary defined units and with the requirement to maintain the "United Kingdom primary standards" for them.

:At the same time, all the imperial units, except pint and ounce troy (but including all of those which were originally defined as not to be used for trade) were reclassified as being available for use for trade as supplementary indications, namely: mile, furlong, chain, yard, foot, inch, square mile, acre, rood, square yard, square foot, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, gallon, quart, gill, fluid ounce, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, pound, ounce, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple and quintal. The tonne was also reclassified as being available for use for trade as a supplementary unit of measure,{{cite web |title=Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1 (13 June 2020) |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/schedule/1 |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=24 December 2021}}

{{anchor|Weights and Measures Act (Northern Ireland) of 1967}}

{{Infobox UK legislation

|short_title=Weights and Measures Act (Northern Ireland) 1967

|parliament=Parliament of Northern Ireland

|long_title=An Act to make amended provision with respect to weights and measures and for connected purposes.

|year=1967

|citation=1967 c. 6 (N.I.)

|introduced_by=

|territorial_extent=Northern Ireland

|royal_assent=25 April 1967

|commencement=

|repeal_date=

|amendments=Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

|related_legislation=

|repealing_legislation=

|status=Amended

|original_text=

|legislation_history=

|revised_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1954/33/contents

|collapsed=y|}}

• {{visible anchor|Weights and Measures Act (Northern Ireland) 1967}} (c. 6 (N.I.))

{{anchor|Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order of 1981}}

{{Infobox UK legislation

|short_title=Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981|type=Order in Council for Northern Ireland

|year=1979

|citation=SI 1981/231

|territorial_extent=Northern Ireland

|si_made_date=18 February 1981

|si_laid_date=

|commencement=18 March 1981

|replaces=

|primary_legislation=Northern Ireland Act 1974

|amendments={{ubli|Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000}}

|status=Amended

|use_new_UK-LEG=yes

|UK-LEG_title=Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

|collapsed=y}}

• {{visible anchor|Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981}} (SI 1981/231)

{{anchor|Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) of 2000}}

{{Infobox UK legislation

|short_title=Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000

|parliament=Northern Ireland Assembly

|long_title=An Act to amend the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 to allow self-verification of weighing or measuring equipment, testing by official EEA testers and pre-test stamping.

|year=2000

|citation=2000 c. 5 (N.I.)

|introduced_by=

|territorial_extent=Northern Ireland

|royal_assent=20 December 2000

|commencement=

|repeal_date=

|amendments=

|related_legislation=

|repealing_legislation=

|status=current

|original_text=

|legislation_history=https://archive.niassembly.gov.uk/legislation/primary/1999/nia8.htm

|revised_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1954/33/contents

|collapsed=y|}}

• {{visible anchor|Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000}} (c. 5 (N.I.))

• Other weights and measures acts

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{UK-LEG|title=Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976|loc=c. 77}}
• {{UK-LEG|title=Weights and Measures Act 1985|loc=c. 72}}
• [http://www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/buying-selling/weights-measures/page8844.html Confident Consumers – Buying and Selling – Weights and Measures from the Department of Trade and Industry]
• [http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/dictunit/ A Dictionary of Units] Originally from Exeter University
• [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2002/195.html Thoburn v Sunderland City Council (2002)]
• [http://home.clara.net/brianp/misc.html List of English / British monarchs in whose name weights and measures legislation was enacted]

{{UK legislation}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Acts of the Parliament of England

Category:Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain

Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Category:Law of the United Kingdom

Category:Metrication in the United Kingdom

Category:Standards organisations in the United Kingdom

Category:Trading standards