National Records of Scotland

Preserving the past, Recording the present, Informing the future

Private Papers

We're launching our new website in early December
All content from the current site will be available in our web archive

Private Papers

The records of landed families, businesses, societies and institutions contain manuscripts, maps, plans and photographs.

Image of a letter from the young King James VI of Scotland to the Countess of Mar, thanking her for a gift of fruit, 1570-1579 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD124/10/45)

Letter from the young King James VI of Scotland to the Countess of Mar, thanking her for a gift of fruit, 1570-1579 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD124/10/45)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00179

Image of a royal letter under the Signet bearing the signatures of Mary Queen of Scots and her secretary, Sir William Maitland of Lethington, ratifying infeftment of Alexander Irvine of Drum in lands in the barony of Strathbogey in Aberdeenshire, 18 Jun 1565 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD105/83A)

Royal letter under the Signet bearing the signatures of Mary Queen of Scots and her secretary, Sir William Maitland of Lethington, ratifying infeftment of Alexander Irvine of Drum in lands in the barony of Strathbogey in Aberdeenshire, 18 June 1565 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD105/83A)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00635

Image of a hand decorated illumination on fifteenth century printed book, Fasciculus temporum omnes antiquorum cronicas complectens by Werner Rolewinck, printed at Strasbourg, circa 1487 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD45/31/1)

Fasciculus temporum omnes antiquorum cronicas complectens by Werner Rolewinck, printed at Strasbourg, about 1487 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD45/31/1)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA01100

Image of a charter by David I to Church of St Cuthbert, 1127 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD45/13/216)

Charter by David I to Church of St Cuthbert, 1124 x 1139 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD45/13/216)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02718

Image of the second page of flute part of concerto for flute, strings and continuo in D minor by Antonio Vivaldi, RV341a ('ll Gran Mongol'), 1730s (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD40/15/54/15)

Second page of flute part of concerto for flute, strings and continuo in D minor by Antonio Vivaldi, RV341a ('ll Gran Mongol'), 1730s (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD40/15/54/15)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA03770

Image of a copy letter from Sir Thomas Livingston to Lt Col James Hamilton, deputy governor at Fort William, ordering the massacre of Macdonald of Glencoe and his clan, 23 January 1692 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD406/1/9679)

Copy letter from Sir Thomas Livingston to Lt Col James Hamilton, deputy governor at Fort William, ordering the massacre of Macdonald of Glencoe and his clan, 23 January 1692 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD406/1/9679)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA03833

Order high quality tiff or jpeg images.
Find out more about private records and estate records in National Records of Scotland.