A rod is a unit of length used in some systems of measurement, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the U.S. customary system, one rod is equal to 16.5 feet or 5.0292 meters. It is also equivalent to 1/4 of a chain, which is another traditional unit of length.
Rods were historically used for land measurement, particularly in surveying and real estate. In some cases, you may still come across the use of rods in property descriptions, especially in rural or agricultural areas. However, the use of the rod as a standard unit of measurement has become less common in favor of more standardized systems like the metric system or the U.S. customary system based on feet and yards.
A "span" is a traditional unit of length used for measuring cloth or fabric. It was historically used in various countries, including England, and is based on the width of the human hand or the spread of the fingers. The actual length of a span could vary depending on the region and historical context.
In England, a span was typically equal to 9 inches or approximately 22.86 centimeters. However, it's important to note that the definition of a span could vary from place to place and over time.