ABSTRACT
Planned villages are one of the most important elements in the fabric of the Scottish countryside. This chapter examines the origins and distribution of villages, the planning methods used by landowners, and village morphology and field systems. Planned villages encouraged the migration of surplus labour from estates where enclosure was taking place. Planned villages were never founded in the Northern Isles although proposals to build villages were discussed at a meeting of landowners in Lerwick and building plots were briefly offered for sale at Longhope. Other planned villages in Galloway display a variety of different functions such as small ports, roadside settlements peopled by tradesmen and weavers who relied on passing trade and employment from the parent estate or neighbouring urban centre, and housing for estate workers.
