Description:

The Return of Owners of Land arose from the question put in the House of Lords on 19 February 1872 by the Earl of Derby to the Lord Privy Seal "whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take any steps for ascertaining the number of proprietors of land and houses in the United Kingdom, with the quantity of land owned by each proprietor". Thus, in 1872 Local Government Boards were ordered to compile a list of owners of land from ratings records, and published in 1875 as The Return of Owners of Land, 1873. (House of Commons Papers 1874 (C.1097) Parts 1 and 2). The Return shows the holding, in acres, roods and poles, and estimated yearly rental, of all holdings over 1 acre. It is also sometimes referred to as the Modern Domesday. This PDF file for Scotland contains 216 pages covering every parish in Scotland.