A medieval unit of land measurement traditionally associated with the area that could be ploughed by one ox.
A bovate was a medieval unit of land measurement traditionally based on the amount of land that could be ploughed by one ox in a season.
The size of a bovate varied according to local conditions, but it was commonly understood as a subdivision of a carucate.
Bovates were often used when describing customary holdings and the obligations attached to them. A tenant holding a bovate might owe rents, services or other duties to the lord of the manor.
Like other medieval measurements, the meaning of a bovate depended on local agricultural practices.
See also:
Carucate
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