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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 28/09/2026

Who Owns Scotland? I've published 45th monthly update to Who Owns Scotland which records ownership of 5100 landholdings covering 5.95 million ha (14.7 million acres) or over 77.25% of rural Scotland. This project is solely funded by subscriptions. Please consider subscribing. (link in next post).

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 28/09/2026

Anta Estates never relinquished ownership. Mr Brown died 2022. According to Panama Papers, Anta was struck off in 2010. Castle Tioram thus falls to Crown - to the King’s & Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, in Crown Office in Edinburgh. To notify them however, costs £ hundreds which I don’t have. 3/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 28/09/2026

A public inquiry followed and ultimately Historic Scotland refused Scheduled Monument consent. The plans fell through. But Lex Brown never owned the Castle. it was owned instead by a company called Anta Estates Limited registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis. 2/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 28/09/2026

Castle Tioram is an ancient ruined castle in Loch Moidart one of the seats of Macdonald of Clanranald. It hit the headlines over 20 years ago when the person who claimed to own it (Lex Brown) proposed to renovate the property and convert it to residential use 1/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/09/2026

John MacLeod never in fact sold the Cuillin but his son Hugh MacLeod (who inherited the estate in 2007) submitted an application for voluntary land registration in 2020. 4/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/09/2026

The Scottish Office invited the Crown Estate Commissioners to examine the validity of MacLeod's title and James Drummond Young QC concluded that MacLeod had demonstrated sufficient possession to enable his claim of ownership to stand. 3/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/09/2026

Some of us questioned whether in fact he actually owned the famous mountains. His claim was founded on a Crown Charter of 1611 that granted 4 unciates of land - around 240 acres and sufficient to graze around 240 head of cattle (the land being offered for sale extended to 22,300 acres). 2/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/09/2026

In March 2000, John MacLeod announced that he was selling the Cuillin. 1/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/09/2026

The Flesh Market is isolated between land owned by Scottish Ministers to the west Ired) and Grobdale to the east (blue). 3/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/09/2026

Grobdale of Girthon was put up for sale in 2004 and revealed the uncertain ownership of the Flesh Market. 2/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/09/2026

In the hills of Galloway there is a Flesh Market. The name feels out of place. Just as interesting, however is who owns (or doesn’t own) it. 1/4

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 06/09/2026

Productive day making Glòthach Chaorainn or Rowan jelly. Excellent crops this year. 4 kg frozen for later.

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 02/09/2026

In 2007, the SNP pledged to scrap the Council Tax. Almost two decades later, this pledge remains unfulfilled. But yesterday’s Programme for Government confirmed that primary legislation will be necessary to introduce the proposed “mansion tax”. 1/3

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 02/09/2026

What does this first sentence mean? And what is "regional local government". There is regional and there is local but I have never heard of "regional local" (from the SNP programme for government)

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 26/08/2026

Does it matter? It is two local folk.

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 07/08/2026

Very sad to hear of the passing of William Orbit. He gave us so much. RIP

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 03/08/2026

Since Sep 2022, I've been building a website where you can find out who owns rural Scotland. Today I am publishing the latest update (July 2026) which contains ownership information on 5050 landholdings covering 5.9 million hectares (14.7 million acres) or over 77% of rural Scotland 1/2

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/07/2026

Still 33% still to do & will take many years due to time & costs involved. Subscriptions and licensing are the sole means by which this work is financed so please do consider taking out a subscription. Gift subscriptions are also available. 3/3 whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/07/2026

You can of course use official registers (the Register of Sasines and Land Register). The Land Register costs £3.60 for a search. At Who Owns Scotland, I've done the work for you. Subscriptions start at £12 for a whole year of access. All data updated & new data added at end of every month. 2/3

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/07/2026

Who Owns Scotland? Since September 2022, I have been building an online platform that enables you to find out who owns rural land in Scotland. The June which ownership information on 5025 landholdings covering 5.9 million hectares (14.7 million acres) or over 77% of rural Scotland 1/3

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 19/06/2026

The decision to corral the media in Scot Parliament appears from reports to have been made by the Parliament Bureau but it has no jurisdiction in the matter. But if this is true then how can Scottish Greens claim not to have been involved when @lornaslater.bsky.social is a member of the Bureau?

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 14/06/2026

When the Register was established in April 2022, the then Environment and Land Reform Minister, Màiri McAllan made this claim 6/7

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 14/06/2026

Those failing to above registered include the state of Qatar and its Royal family. 3/7 andywightman.scot/2015/01/qata...

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 14/06/2026

Following recent posts about my attempts to secure prosecutions for those failing to register the controlling interest in land, I am pleased to see that the Ferret has published an important analysis of the Register of Controlled Persons in Land. 1/7

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/06/2026

The Trustees sought a Declarator that they had the exclusive right of navigation on the stretch of river flowing through their lands, and also sought Interdict against the Sailing School, maintaining that the Spey was a private river. 4/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/06/2026

David Wills was a philanthropic and had acquired Ditchley Estate in Oxfordshire in 1953. In 1958 he established the Ditchley Foundation to promote international understanding and later gifted Ditchley Park House and the estate to the Foundation which continues to operate today. 2/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/06/2026

A large Speyside estate has quietly changed hands. The 6300 hectare Knockando Estate sits to the north of the river Spey just upstream from Aberlour. Historical owned by the Clan Grant, the estate was acquired by a member of the Wills tobacco family, Major Sir David Wills in 1962. 1/5

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/06/2026

Fresh concerns over governance in John Muir Trust as respected founding trustee is ousted after being elected by members to sort out previous problems. I was a Trustee of JMT 30 years ago & worked with Denis. I have huge respect for his passion and committment to JMT. 1/2

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 09/06/2026

I remain concerned that Parliamentary procedures enable the election of Convenors & Deputy Convenors from the same party. I have written to all members of the Parliamentary Bureau seeking answers as to how they came to agree this proposal. I will publish responses here.

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 03/06/2026

Tomorrow (Thursday 4 June 2026), Parliament is being invited to vote on a motion to establish committees with both the Convenor and Deputy Convenor of the *FINANCE* Committee to be from the SNP ........

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 02/06/2026

John Swinney John Swinney claimed today after court narration that “The systems were robust but they were circumvented” But in court this morning it was agreed that they were not robust otherwise how could PM sign off his own expenses? It was that process that enabled the false expense claims.

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 01/06/2026

The MAY 2026 UPDATE of Who Owns Scotland is now published with a total of 5000 landholdings (76.95% rural Scotland). All records are updated plus 19 new ones including an interesting estate sale that I will highlight in a blog. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 04/05/2026

APRIL 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with total of 4981 landholdings (76.9% rural Scotland). All records updated plus 21 new ones. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. www.whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/04/2026

At hustings for Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch constituency. Big topics are housing, energy generation, local democracy and local health services. #holyrood2026

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 22/04/2026

My thoughts exactly. If Robbins never saw this document or knew its contents how could he have been expected to inform the PM (which he was not allowed to anyway?) From @tompeck.bsky.social I the Times. Seems very unfair dismissal

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 16/04/2026

Why is council tax reform the one policy that SNP insists needs consensus. A parliamentary majority is all that is required to pass new legislation on any topic. Every party will never agree a common position so it this effectively saying its not going to happen? If not, then why not? #snpmanifesto

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 01/04/2026

MARCH 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with total of 4960 landholdings (76.9% rural Scotland). All records updated plus 18 new ones. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. www.whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 04/03/2026

The land around base plus eastern part of island and foreshore of W part are on Land Register. £3+VAT to buy title. Suspect pink is Crown foreshore but no idea who owns western part but for £3+VAT you can find out. scotlis.ros.gov.uk/map-search

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 03/03/2026

FEBRUARY 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with total of 4942 landholdings (76.8% rural Scotland). Only one new record as expansion is running far ahead of subscription income - the sole source of income. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 23/01/2026

The Scottish Four Seasons by @islaratcliff.bsky.social tonight at Celtic Connections in the Barony Hall

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 19/01/2026

A reminder fo those furth of Scotland that we know all about Mr Trump's threats and bullying in trying to seize other people's property. We resisted. We won. (This is at Donald Trump's golf course at Menie, Aberdeenshire)

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 17/01/2026

Nice write up in Herald of @islaratcliff.bsky.social new album. Pity the sub editors changed "Meltin o the Snaw" to "Melton o the Swan" !! www.heraldscotland.com/news/2576289...

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 05/01/2026

DECEMBER 2025 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with total of 4927 landholdings (76.77% rural Scotland). The project is financed solely by subscription income. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £5. whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 27/11/2025

NOVEMBER UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with total of 4900 landholdings (76.64% rural Scotland). The project is financed solely by subscription income. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £5 whoownsscotland.org.uk

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 19/11/2025

Reminds me of the chat during the 2010 Euro debt crisis

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 15/11/2025

The Scottish Four Seasons by @islaratcliff.bsky.social - Teview by @fateamagazine.bsky.social here (and it’s good!) www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/rev...

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 10/11/2025

And after indy they will do exactly the same. We will have a Supreme Court - indeed we already do and have always had ....

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 05/11/2025

Still v frustarted that debates around tenant farming stilll resolves around trying to expand tenancies. But they are in decline whilst in other Euroopean countries the % tenanted land is much much higher BECAUSE they had real land reform in aftermath of French revolution

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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 05/11/2025

Scottish Parliament just passed the amendment that defines a large landholding with reference to the most complex of registers meaning a connected person is not just someone you can identify IN the register but someone who is REQUIRED to be in. Best of luck with this.

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