London Chaldron
Modern equivalent
Approx. 1,309 litres
A dry volume measure equal to 36 bushels, tightly enforced at the Port of London to regulate domestic coal shipments.
Regulated tightly by city authorities to prevent fraud and maintain public order in a rapidly growing capital, the London chaldron served as the benchmark dry volume for domestic fuel supply. Because coal was shipped by sea from northern ports, precise customs and port measures were critical for taxation and market pricing.