PLOUGHGATE Meaning and
Definition
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Ploughgate refers to a measurement or unit of land area in the Scottish feudal system. In medieval times, Scotland employed a unique system of land measurement, known as ploughgate, as a means of determining the size and worth of agricultural land. The term ploughgate originates from the combination of two words: "plough" and "gate." "Plough" refers to the farming instrument used to till the soil, while "gate" is an old Scots word for a common or communal grazing area.
The exact size of a ploughgate varied across regions, but it generally referred to an area of land that could be effectively cultivated by a team of eight oxen in one year. It was considered a sufficient amount of land for a single farming family to maintain their livelihood. Consequently, ploughgate became an important unit for assessing the rental value, taxation, and distribution of land among tenant farmers and landowners.
Notably, ploughgate was not a fixed measure and could vary depending on factors such as soil quality, topography, and climatic conditions. As Scotland transitioned to more standardized measurement systems, such as the acre, ploughgates gradually fell out of use and became obsolete.
Today, ploughgate stands as a historical term in Scotland, primarily significant to the understanding of medieval land measurement and the social and economic dynamics of feudal society.
Common Misspellings for PLOUGHGATE
Etymology of PLOUGHGATE
The word "ploughgate" originates from the Old English word "plōw-geat" or "plōg-geat", where "plōw" means "plough" and "geat" means "gate" or "opening". In medieval times, a "ploughgate" referred to the amount of land that could be worked by one plough team in a year. It was a unit of measurement used in land surveys and was often equivalent to around 120 acres. Over time, the term evolved to simply refer to a piece of land or a farm that was worked by a single plough team, typically including a ploughman, a plough, and a pair of draught animals like oxen or horses.
