Stang

A stang is an Old English unit of length, historically used in land measurement. It is equivalent to one rod, pole, or perch. While the exact length varied slightly regionally and over time, it was generally standardized as 16.5 feet (5.03 meters).

The stang was a fundamental unit in defining larger land areas. For instance, a furlong (a unit of length equal to 40 rods) was derived from the length of a furrow in a ploughed field. An acre was traditionally defined as the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plough in a single day, and typically consisted of a furlong in length and four rods (or stangs) in width.

The term "stang" is still sometimes used in legal descriptions of land, particularly in rural areas of England and other locations where historical land divisions persist. However, its usage is decreasing as metric units become more prevalent. The word "stang" can also refer to a long pole or rod, reflecting its original meaning as a measuring stick. The related terms "rod," "pole," and "perch" are more commonly encountered in contemporary contexts.