Queen's Chain
noun NZ & West Indian
A strip of public-access land along coasts and waterways, of up to 20 metres wide: they reclaimed land from waters adjacent to the Queen’s Chain...
- They were the owners of the hinterland to the Queen's Chain.
- Above the beach along the bay Lies a rolling, grass domain, Shaded by trees, twenty meters wide, Formed from the old Queen's chain.
- Besides, I was on the Queen's Chain.
Origin
Late 19th century: from chain in the sense 'unit of length'. The strip of land was originally one chain (66 ft) wide.