lea (unit)

The lea or lay was a British unit of length.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/units/dictL.html|title=Units: L|website=www.ibiblio.org|access-date=2019-05-18}}

The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as a measure "of varying quantity". It cites quotations from within various areas of the textile industry, which define it as "80 yards" (1888 note on a 1399 text), "200 Threds reel'd on a Reel four yards about" (1696), "each lay containing 200 yards" (1704), "eighty threads" (1776), "forty threads" (1825), "300 yards" (1882) and "in worsted 80 yards; in cotton and silk 120 yards" (1885).{{cite book|title=Oxford English Dictionary|url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/106573?rskey=moYAfR&result=5#eid|accessdate=11 February 2015|url-access=subscription|chapter=Lea, n.4 }}