Oxgang

An oxgang, also known as an eighth of a ploughgate or bovate, was a historical unit of land measurement, primarily used in Scotland and Northern England. It represented the amount of land that one ox could plough in a season. Since a plough team typically consisted of eight oxen, an oxgang was effectively one-eighth of the total land ploughed by the full team (a ploughgate).

The size of an oxgang could vary significantly depending on the quality of the land, the type of soil, and the local customs. It was not a fixed acreage, but rather a measure of productive capacity relative to the work an ox could perform. Estimates typically range from 13 to 20 acres.

The oxgang served as a basis for taxation, land tenure, and feudal obligations. Rent and services owed by tenants were often calculated in terms of oxgangs. It provides valuable insight into medieval and early modern agricultural practices and landholding systems in the regions where it was used. The term is often encountered in historical documents, such as charters, rentals, and legal records.