carucates

A carucate was a unit of land measurement used in medieval England. Its exact size was not standardized and varied depending on the quality of the land, the region, and the historical period. It was generally understood to represent the amount of land that could be ploughed by a team of eight oxen in one year. This unit was often used for the purpose of taxation and rent assessment. The carucate was a significant measure in the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, where it was used to estimate the value and productive capacity of landholdings. Over time, as agricultural practices evolved and land ownership patterns changed, the carucate gradually fell out of common use, eventually being replaced by more precise units of measurement. Its historical significance lies in its role in medieval land management, administration, and economic assessment.