Virgates

A virgate was a unit of land measurement primarily used in medieval England. Its exact size varied considerably depending on the region and the specific historical period, making it an imprecise measure. Generally, a virgate was understood to be the amount of land typically cultivated by one freeman or villein with a single ox team. It was often considered to be equivalent to a hide, another common Anglo-Saxon land unit, although their equivalence was not absolute. Estimates for the size of a virgate range from 15 to 60 acres, with 30 to 40 acres being a frequently cited average. The virgate was not a fixed static measure but rather a functional descriptor of a tenant's holding, reflecting the land necessary for subsistence farming. Its variability highlights the decentralized nature of land ownership and management in medieval society.