Highland cows threatened with eviction by Suffolk business man
fwd | 22.08.2003 22:06 | Ecology | Free Spaces | Repression
The Kinlochroag Highland Fold and their owner and breeder, Finlay Macdonald, are under threat. This famous Fold of Highland Cattle that feature in 
http://www.highland-coos.com are fit and healthy and an asset to the rough moorland they inhabit. But due to the ancient nightmare that has plagued Scotland there is a chance that some of the fold may have to be dispersed. In some cases this may not be possible, the alternative for those gentle highlanders is too horrendous to contemplate.
More information under
http://morsgail.co.uk
http://www.highland-coos.com are fit and healthy and an asset to the rough moorland they inhabit. But due to the ancient nightmare that has plagued Scotland there is a chance that some of the fold may have to be dispersed. In some cases this may not be possible, the alternative for those gentle highlanders is too horrendous to contemplate. More information under
http://morsgail.co.uk
Amazing what comes out in the wash!
Finlay Macdonald's family have openly and peaceably been grazing livestock on an area of the 16,000 acre Morsgail Estate for Eighty Years. Now due to the aggressive demands of the current owner, a Suffolk businessman who bought the estate twenty years ago, the open-ness and peace has ended and legal action looms.
He regards himself as a conservationist, but conservation at Morsgail comes in the form of neglect. The original listed building managed to burn down under his care and was replaced with a large modern house.
However it is the recent move to elicit a grazing contract from Finlay that has led to the threat to Finlay's fold of highland cattle and his sheep.
The Suffolk Laird despite his claims of being a 'decent chap' has already employed a firm of very expensive solicitors and raised an action in the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The cost of this could be born by Finlay should the case go against him, which is a huge threat in itself.
Taking out an advert in the local paper this Suffolk Laird claims to want Finlay to have free grazing but the 'licences' he offered included a "right of pre- emption" over Finlay's own land. In other words, had Finlay signed the licence, the Laird could (after a year) put Finlay off the land. If that forced Finlay into selling his own land, he would then have to give the Laird first refusal.
There is a rumour that approximately 9 acres of land have been registered by the Laird as an "agricultural holding" entitled Kinlochroag, coincidentally the same name as an old house on Finlay's land, which also happens to be an agricultural holding and is 9 acres?
Finlay's solicitors advised against signing away his rights. Eventually after a slightly amended agreement which was equally unjust Finlay was given two weeks notice to remove his animals from the land. When he didn't comply he was issued with a summons to attend the Court of Session in Edinburgh. There has not yet been a hearing.
For more information about these beautiful animals visit:
http://www.highland-coos.com/home.htm
He regards himself as a conservationist, but conservation at Morsgail comes in the form of neglect. The original listed building managed to burn down under his care and was replaced with a large modern house.
However it is the recent move to elicit a grazing contract from Finlay that has led to the threat to Finlay's fold of highland cattle and his sheep.
The Suffolk Laird despite his claims of being a 'decent chap' has already employed a firm of very expensive solicitors and raised an action in the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The cost of this could be born by Finlay should the case go against him, which is a huge threat in itself.
Taking out an advert in the local paper this Suffolk Laird claims to want Finlay to have free grazing but the 'licences' he offered included a "right of pre- emption" over Finlay's own land. In other words, had Finlay signed the licence, the Laird could (after a year) put Finlay off the land. If that forced Finlay into selling his own land, he would then have to give the Laird first refusal.
There is a rumour that approximately 9 acres of land have been registered by the Laird as an "agricultural holding" entitled Kinlochroag, coincidentally the same name as an old house on Finlay's land, which also happens to be an agricultural holding and is 9 acres?
Finlay's solicitors advised against signing away his rights. Eventually after a slightly amended agreement which was equally unjust Finlay was given two weeks notice to remove his animals from the land. When he didn't comply he was issued with a summons to attend the Court of Session in Edinburgh. There has not yet been a hearing.
For more information about these beautiful animals visit:
http://www.highland-coos.com/home.htm
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Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
Arrogant White Settlers
23.08.2003 12:55
Iain
Arrogant nationalist commentators
08.09.2003 15:06
Bob
Conservation does not mean exploitation by locals
04.12.2003 23:13
Is it morally wrong to stop indigenous peoples from despoiling their own land?
Well as a nation we protest at logging in rain-forests but seem content to let our own appalling stewardship go uncensured. The habitat once destroyed by these highland cattle will never again be seen by our descendents, Scots, Gaelic or English. A Victorian Lodge could be rebuilt if needed but the land cannot.
Gareth
Conservation does not enshrine local expolitation
04.12.2003 23:36
Is it morally right to restrict indigenous populations exploitation of resources? Well we seem to have no problem with campaigns to stop logging in rain forrests so the answer seems to be "Yes".
My family have been in (mainland) Britain for probably over two thouand years but if we lose this area, we will never see it again, even if we stay another two thousand. Emotions give poor guidance and profit poor protection to the land.
Gareth
Gareth
money
08.05.2004 17:01
chad lepley
e-mail:
bulldogwr80@yahoo.com