"Colin Blackburn" wrote | Geo wrote: | > Is it England only? | England and Wales. It's the Land Registry's database... | - can't get any results for EH49 | ...which doesn't cover Scotland. I assume because of the different legal | system Scotland will have its own registry of some sort.
Scotland has had a *public* centralised land registry, the Register of Sasines, since 1617. In case you don't have a copy of the Acta Parliamentorum Regis Jacobi Sexti to hand allow me to quote from the Record Edition for the Parlimaent at Edinburgh, 27 May cap.16.:
anent the Registratione of reuersiones Seasinges and vtheris writis... considdering the gryit huyrt sustened by his Maiesties Liegis by the fraudulent dealing of parities who having annaliet their Landis and ressauit gryit soumes of money thairfore Yit be their vnuist conceiling of some provat Right formarlie made by thame renderith subsequent alienatioun done for gryit soumes of money altogidder vnproffitable whiche can not be avoyded vnless the saidis privat rightis be maid publict and patent to his hienes leigis FOR remedie whereoff and of the manye Inconvenientis whiche may ensew thairupon HIS maiestie which aduyis and consent of the estaittis of Parliament statutes and ordanis That thair salbe ane publick Register In the which all Reuersiounes regresses bandis and writtis for making of reuersiounes or regresses assignatiounes thairto dischargis of the same renunciationes of wodsettis and grants off redemptioun and siclyik all instrumentis of seasing salbe registrat ... and to the effect the said register may presentlie and in all tyme cuming be the moir faithfullie keipit
Although the act was part repealed by 6 Ed. 7c. 38 the above text remained law in 1907 and is AIUI still of statutory effect.
Referring to the Acta Parliamentorum Guliemi
that no seasine or other writt or diligence appointed to be Registrat shall be of any force or effect against any but the granters and their heirs unless it be duely booked and insert in the Register.
and moreover (Acta Parliamentorum Guliemi et Mariae, Edinburgh, 18 April
1693 cap. 23 [1693 cap 14 in the 12mo edition]
that all Keepers of the said Registers shall keep Minute Books of all Writs presented to them to be registrate in their severall Registers ... and that the Writs shall be registrate exactly conform to the Order of the said Minute Book All under the pain of Deprivation of the Keeper of the Register And further Their Majestoies with consent forsaid Declare the saids Keepers not pbserving the premises lyable to the damage of the parties prejudged by the not due observing of this present Act
Owain