Crofting Reform Act 1886

The Crofting Reform Act of 1886 was legislation in Scotland aimed at protecting and improving the rights of tenant crofters—small-scale farmers working on common land. It introduced regulations to secure their tenure, provide better security against eviction, and promote fairer management of land. The act sought to address issues of land abuse and to support the livelihoods of those dependent on crofting, laying the groundwork for subsequent reforms that strengthened crofters' rights and helped preserve rural communities.