Croft (land) facts for kids
A croft is a special kind of small farm in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. It's usually a fenced piece of land, often used for growing crops. A croft often has a house where the farmer lives.
A crofter is the person who lives on and uses this land. They usually rent the land, but they have special rights. These rights help them keep their home and farm.
Contents
What Does "Croft" Mean?
The word croft comes from old West Germanic languages. It's related to the Dutch word kroft and the Old English word croft. Both mean an enclosed field.
Today, you'll mostly hear the word "croft" in Scotland. Most crofts are found in the beautiful Highlands and Islands area.
Special Laws for Crofts in Scotland
Crofts in Scotland are unique because they have their own special laws. These laws have been in place since 1886. They were created to help families who were tenant farmers.
Why Were These Laws Made?
Long ago, many people in the Highlands were forced to leave their homes. This sad time was called the Highland Clearances. Landowners wanted to use the land for sheep instead of people.
Crofters were often just "tenants at will." This meant they could be told to leave their land at any time. They had very few rights.
The first records of small tenants holding land directly from a landowner appeared in 1715.
Early Planned Crofts
In 1805, some of the first planned crofting villages were created. These were in places like Barragloum and Kirkibost in the Outer Hebrides. They had many small, rectangular plots of land.
These plots were divided by turf and stone walls. Many of these walls are still used as croft boundaries today.
Important Acts of Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom passed the first important law in 1886. It was called the Crofters' Act. This law gave crofters more rights. It helped protect them from being forced off their land.
Later, new laws were made, like the Crofters' (Scotland) Act in 1993. Another law in 2003, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, gave crofters the right to buy their land. This means they can own their croft instead of just renting it.
The Crofters Commission
The 1886 Act also set up the first Crofters Commission. This group helps manage crofting. The modern Crofters Commission was created in 1955. It is based in Inverness.
Crofts that are protected by these laws are in specific areas of northern and western Scotland. These include Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross-shire, Inverness-shire, and Argyll.
Crofters often live in a "township" with other crofters. They share the right to use "common pasture." This is a shared area of land where their animals can graze. Since 1976, crofters have been able to buy their crofts. This lets them become the owners of their land.
See also
In Spanish: Croft (agricultura) para niños
