Legal Definitions - oxgang

An oxgang was a historical unit of land measurement primarily used in medieval England and Scotland. It represented the amount of land that a single ox could typically plow in one year, usually estimated to be between 12 and 15 acres. This unit was significant because it was often used to assess land for taxation and other feudal obligations. Historically, an oxgang was also understood to be one-eighth of a larger land unit called a carucate.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of an oxgang:

• Imagine a medieval will from the 13th century: "Lord Godfrey bequeathed to his second son, Arthur, four oxgangs of prime arable land adjacent to the River Thorne."

  Explanation: This example demonstrates the oxgang as a specific, quantifiable unit of land used for inheritance and property transfer, indicating a defined area of agricultural value.

• A feudal lord's steward is compiling records for annual dues. He notes, "The tenant farmer, Agnes, holds two oxgangs of the manor's land, and therefore owes a specific amount of grain and labor services to the lord based on this holding."

  Explanation: Here, the oxgang serves as the fundamental unit for assessing a tenant's obligations, directly linking the land held to the taxes or services owed to the landowner.

• A historical survey document from the 11th century describes a newly settled village: "The village of Stonebrook was recorded as possessing eighteen oxgangs of cultivated land, indicating its capacity for agricultural production and its potential for supporting a growing population."

  Explanation: This illustrates the oxgang being used in administrative records to quantify the total arable land within a settlement, providing a standardized measure for historical surveys and economic assessments.