Record

Reference NumberHCA/AS
Archive CentreInverness
TitleAbridgements of Sasines
Date1606-1970
DescriptionIndex to Secretary's and Particular Registers of Sasines for Sheriffdoms of Inverness, Ross, Cromarty and Sutherland, 1606-1780

Index to Particular Register of Sasines For Sheriffdoms of Elgin, Forres and Nairn, 1617-1780

County of Caithness, 1869-1943
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1869-1943; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1872-1940; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1881-1940

County of Sutherland, 1781-1970
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1781-1970

County of Ross, 1781-1889
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1781-1889; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1872-1880

County of Cromarty, 1781-1889
Including Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1872-1889; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1781-1889

County of Ross and Cromarty, 1890-1970
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1890-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1948-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1941-1970

County of Inverness, 1781-1970
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1781-1970

County of Nairn, 1781-1970
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1781-1970; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1781-1970

County of Argyll,
Including Abridgements of Sasines, 1869-1962; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Places, 1878-1963; Abridgements of Sasines Index to Persons, 1871-1962
Administrative HistoryThe Regsiters of Sasines are a national record of property transactions which run in a continuous series from 1617, prior to which an incomplete Secretary's Register ran from 1599-1609. Between 1617 and 1869 separate individual county registers were maintained along with a general register which covered the whole country except the three Lothian counties. This system was changed in 1869 to establish one general register arranged in county divisions. Royal Burghs maintained their own burgh registers of sasines.
The registers are still in use as of the present day, although since 1981, they are in the process of being gradually replaced by the Registration of Title system.
During the 19th century, the registers themselves had became so large, and legal searches consequently more time consuming, that abridgements began to be published in 1821, going back to 1781 to cover the then 40 year standard period for title searches. The abridgements do not cover the burgh registers of sasines, and although separate person and place indexes were also complied, the indexing of places was abandoned from 1831-1871.
Related MaterialThe full Registers of Sasines can be consulted at the National Archives of Scotland.
Access StatusOpen
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