Summary: Crops and Open Fields
Key dates:
The land close to the house was known as the infield. This was divided into strips and cultivated by different farmers. A strip was approximately 1 furlong x 1 chain (ie one long furrow of 220yards/200metres x 20 yards). These strips could have been fenced off from each other.
A heavy plough was known to the Irish before the Normans came but they tended to use a lighter plough drawn by a horse’s tail. Ploughing with oxen had died out in the late middle ages.
Oats, barley and wheat were grown. Corn had to be dried artificially. Much flax was grown and exported. There was no hay making in Ireland before the Normans came.
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