Discover Scottish Land Records

This updated guide from family historian Chris Paton takes a look at the complicated records concerning land and property based research in Scotland.

For centuries property transactions within the country were governed by feudal tenure, a system which was abandoned in England and Wales in the Middle Ages, but which continued in Scotland until 2004. But feudalism was not the only method by which land was held, with Udal Law, duthchas, leasehold and more competing as forms of tenure across the country at different times.

Connected with the rules surrounding property transactions were those associated with the inheritance of land and heritable estate, all of which are explained in great detail. From sasines to skat, from retours to precepts of clare constant, and from apparent heirs to heirs apparent, this concise guide will help you get to grips with one of the most exciting and useful topics within Scottish family history.

Softcover, A5, 63 pages, 2nd edition

Chris Paton, Unlock The Past Series, 2017