1) The dung-stead was the place where animal excrement was allowed to accumulate.
The dung of animals was a valuable asset, used to manure the land, and it was frequently the subject of bequests in wills: 1544 to my said susters and John Roundell my servant all my donge that is aboute my hous to be devyded ... equallye, Scriven
1557 Thomas Hallane yf he marye my doughter shall haue two partes of my donge hill and ... one acer ... to sett the seyd dong one, Sherburn. The dung-stead was the place where animal excrement was allowed to accumulate: 1572 one oxehouse and ... grownde befor the same to be used for a dongesteade, Barwick. At about the same time, c.1570, John Kaye referred to his downg hill steads, Woodsome. The farming implements used for dealing with dung were forks and drags: 1580 Item one donge forke, Beverley
1587 a dungeforke, South Cave
1611 1 dunge dragg, Brandsby. Henry Best used the verb ‘to dung out’: 1642 till such time as the lambe beginne to dunge out the milke which it hath gotten of her, Elmswell. ‘Dung’ was used occasionally as a verb when the manure was spread on the land: 1556 caused the said Hardy Flat to be donged with hir cowpe donge, Kirkham. Note: 1564-5 ‘a cottage called Dungpuddell’, Sewerby.