How many feet are in 1 chain?

One chain equals exactly 66 feet. This has been the standard definition since Edmund Gunter introduced the chain around 1620.

Why is a chain 66 feet?

Gunter chose 66 feet so that area calculations would be simple: 1 chain (66 feet) times 1 furlong (660 feet) equals 43,560 square feet, which is exactly 1 acre. The entire English land measurement system was built around this elegant relationship.

How do I convert chains to feet?

Multiply the number of chains by 66. For example, 4 chains = 264 feet. Since 1 chain = 4 rods and 1 rod = 16.5 feet, you can also multiply rods by 16.5.

Chains to Feet (ch to ft) Converter

1 ch = 66 ft

1 Chain equals 66 Feet (1 ch = 66 ft). Convert Chains to Feet with formula, table, and examples.

One chain equals exactly 66 feet. This is the defining relationship of Gunter's chain, established around 1620 for land surveying. The 66-foot length was deliberately chosen so that 10 square chains equal exactly 1 acre, making area calculations trivially simple for surveyors.

How to Convert Chains to Feet

ft = ch × 66

Multiply the value in Chains by 66

Take your value in Chains
Multiply by 66
Read the result in Feet

Common Chains to Feet Conversions

Chains (ch)	Feet (ft)	Status
0.1 ch	6.6 ft
0.25 ch	16.5 ft
0.5 ch	33 ft
1 ch	66 ft
2 ch	132 ft
5 ch	330 ft
10 ch	660 ft
20 ch	1,320 ft
40 ch	2,640 ft
80 ch	5,280 ft
100 ch	6,600 ft
200 ch	13,200 ft
500 ch	33,000 ft
1,000 ch	66,000 ft

Good to Know About Chains to Feet Conversion

The chain-to-feet relationship reveals the hidden logic of the imperial system. While 66 feet seems random, it creates the elegant chain-furlong-acre relationship that made English land surveying efficient for centuries before metrication.

Chains to Feet: What You Need to Know

A cricket pitch is 1 chain (66 feet). One furlong is 10 chains (660 feet). One mile is 80 chains (5,280 feet). The chain's 66-foot length seems arbitrary until you realize the elegance: 1 chain x 1 furlong = 1 acre. This mathematical convenience made it the standard surveying tool for over 200 years.

What is a Chain? ch

Exactly 66 feet or 4 rods (20.1168 m). Invented by Edmund Gunter for land surveying. 80 chains make one mile. Still used in US public land surveys.

Imperial land surveying US public land

Learn more about Chain →

What is a Foot? ft

An imperial unit of length equal to 12 inches or 0.3048 meters. Used in the US and UK for height, altitude, and construction.

Imperial Us-customary height altitude real estate

Learn more about Foot →

Going the other way? Use our Feet to Chains converter.

Chains to Feet FAQ

One chain equals exactly 66 feet. This has been the standard definition since Edmund Gunter introduced the chain around 1620.
Gunter chose 66 feet so that area calculations would be simple: 1 chain (66 feet) times 1 furlong (660 feet) equals 43,560 square feet, which is exactly 1 acre. The entire English land measurement system was built around this elegant relationship.
Multiply the number of chains by 66. For example, 4 chains = 264 feet. Since 1 chain = 4 rods and 1 rod = 16.5 feet, you can also multiply rods by 16.5.

Non-Frequently Asked Questions About Chains to Feet

Questions nobody should ask - but someone did.

A chain is 66 feet. A normal walking pace is about 2.5 feet. So a chain is about 26 paces. Surveyors could roughly verify a chain measurement by counting about 26 steps. Not exact, but a useful sanity check in the field.