Collections and Access
The National Archives of Scotland contains records from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites. One widely known document held is the Declaration of Arbroath.
The material held, searchable through the NAS On-Line Catalogue, and accessible (free of charge to examine) both in person at NAS search rooms (after reader pass application procedures), and in certain circumstances through other methods such as by post includes the following:
- Government Records of pre-1707 Scottish crown, parliament and government; records of the post-1886 Scottish Office and Scottish Government.
- Legal registers and Court documents Registers of deeds and sasines; services of heirs; Records of the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary, sheriff courts (including adoption records) and commissary courts. Notably, the NAS provides about 5,000 extracts from legal registers each year, mainly at a cost for professional legal researchers instructed by law firms. The Keeper is, in addition to his responsibility to Ministers, also responsible to the Lord President of the Court of Session for the efficient management of the court and other legal records in Scotland.
- The Churches Records for the Church of Scotland, Free Church of Scotland, and various dissenting ('seceding') congregations; records of the Scottish Episcopal Church; copies of the records of baptisms, marriages and burials for Roman Catholics before 1855.
- Nationalised industries and transport Records of the Scottish rail and canal systems, coal, gas, electricity, steel and shipbuilding industries.
- Local administration Valuation rolls for all Scottish counties and burghs 1855-1995; records of some burghs, county councils, justices of the peace and other local authorities.
- Private and corporate bodies Family, legal and estate papers; several gifts and deposited papers; records of businesses, societies and institutions.
- Maps and plans Maps, plans, architectural and technical drawings from government departments, nationalised industries, transport systems, courts, churches, private and corporate bodies.
There is an exhibition display of several important and noteworthy items located in West Register House.
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