How many chains are in 1 league?

One league contains exactly 240 chains. Since 1 league = 3 miles and 1 mile = 80 chains, multiply 3 by 80.

How do I convert leagues to chains?

Multiply leagues by 240. For example, 10 leagues = 2,400 chains.

Are leagues and chains related?

Both belong to the English foot-based system. The chain was for surveying fields; the league was for estimating travel distance. They share the mile as a common intermediate unit.

Leagues to Chains (lea to ch) Converter

1 lea = 240 ch

1 League equals 240 Chains (1 lea = 240 ch). Convert Leagues to Chains with formula, table, and examples.

One league equals exactly 240 chains. Since 1 league = 3 miles, 1 mile = 80 chains, and 3 x 80 = 240. Both units come from the English measurement tradition: the league for travel distance, the chain for land surveying.

How to Convert Leagues to Chains

ch = lea × 240

Multiply the value in Leagues by 240

Take your value in Leagues
Multiply by 240
Read the result in Chains

Common Leagues to Chains Conversions

Leagues (lea)	Chains (ch)	Status
0.1 lea	24 ch
0.25 lea	60 ch
0.5 lea	120 ch
1 lea	240 ch
2 lea	480 ch
5 lea	1,200 ch
10 lea	2,400 ch
20 lea	4,800 ch
50 lea	12,000 ch
100 lea	24,000 ch
500 lea	120,000 ch
1,000 lea	240,000 ch
20,000 lea	4,800,000 ch

Good to Know About Leagues to Chains Conversion

The chain-furlong-mile-league hierarchy runs 10-8-3: 10 chains per furlong, 8 furlongs per mile, 3 miles per league. Only the 10-chain furlong has a decimal ratio. The rest is classic English measurement chaos.

Leagues to Chains: What You Need to Know

Two hundred forty chains make one league. One furlong is 10 chains, one mile is 80 chains, and one league is 240 chains. This clean hierarchy (chains to furlongs to miles to leagues) is one of the more elegant aspects of the English system, even though almost nobody uses any of these units today.

What is a League? lea

Exactly 3 statute miles (4828.032 m). A historical unit of distance, often associated with the distance a person could walk in one hour.

Imperial historical literature

Learn more about League →

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 →

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

Leagues to Chains FAQ

One league contains exactly 240 chains. Since 1 league = 3 miles and 1 mile = 80 chains, multiply 3 by 80.
Multiply leagues by 240. For example, 10 leagues = 2,400 chains.
Both belong to the English foot-based system. The chain was for surveying fields; the league was for estimating travel distance. They share the mile as a common intermediate unit.

Non-Frequently Asked Questions About Leagues to Chains

Questions nobody should ask - but someone did.

A cricket pitch is 1 chain (22 yards). Twenty leagues = 4,800 chains = 4,800 cricket pitches. Middle-earth apparently had room for about 4,800 cricket matches along the road to Mordor. The hobbits missed every one.