Tudor Land Measurement

[magda]

If Lie in King is awake---would like to know what was "a claw"--it was a word to do with North Devon land measurement. It is a real puzzle! please help. Magda

[Mosaic]

It sounds like it might be similar to what's called an 'intake' round here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intake_%28land%29

[Lie-in King]

Morning, magda - I'm sorry but I don't understand your query.

Is this from a quiz perhaps? If it's a crossword clue, it's one I don't recognise from the info you've given.

Are you looking for a word for "a claw" that also means a unit of land measurement from N Devon?

[magda]

Thanks for answering both of you ---maybe "intake" Lie in King---not a quiz---just something that came up in a local history lecture. Tudor period in N.Devon --talking about acreage---and "a claw". Sounds as if it is a subdivision of an acre? There again --with Devon dialect it might be a mis-hearing of a similar word! I tried the Answer Bank crossworders because their breadth & depth of knowledge is considerable. Magda

[DTCwordfan]

how about a hand or a hide, used back then....?

[Jonathan-Joe]

Though not easy to read, the glossary of this document
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=m8pMAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA491&lpg=PA491&dq=claw+land+measure+devon&source=bl&ots=DcV_Qwer-x&sig=Ajp8E0E0isXsX1LQEGzCEQ0-hRg&hl=en&;sa=X&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBmoVChMIhJfWxZCEyQIVQlk-Ch1xHANi#v=onepage&q=claw%20land%20measure%20devon&;f=false
gives "Clava or Clawa - a claw or close of land". One definition of close in Chambers Dictionary - "an enclosed place; a small enclosed field". So not a measurement of area.

[Lie-in King]

Just remembered to check this before I head for bed - great find, Jonathan-Joe! :-)

[magda]

Well done Johnathan-Joe---that must be it ---fits the context perfectly. AnswerBank finders are the best! Thank you very much --that has driven me hairless for a week. Magda