Sasines are legal documents which record the transfer of land or building ownership from one person to another.
Date and location coverage
All four of our archive centres hold abridgements of sasines and certain sasine minute books for the Highland counties of Inverness-shire, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland, Nairnshire, Caithness and Argyll. We also hold the sasines for Inverness burgh. Abridgements date from 1781-1970 for most Highland counties and the sasines for Inverness burgh date from 1602-1869.
What can these records be used for?
Sasines can be used:
- to trace the history of a building
- to learn when a certain person or family bought a house or a piece of land
- to discover the value of a building or piece of land when it was sold
- to track who inherited property
If you’re researching the history of a building in the Highlands the abridgments or sasines will certainly hold useful information. If you’re trying to trace an ancestor, relevant information is less guaranteed as prior to the 20th Century it was very uncommon for people in Scotland to own their own houses or land. Consequently, a large percentage of sasines relate to a small proportion of the population.
Access and restrictions
All sasine records are open to view.
Copies and photography
Both copies and photographs are permitted. Charges may apply.
What next?
If you're researching the history of a property maps and valuation rolls are other resources which may contain useful information.
