Bendochy Perthshire Scotland

Bendochy, Perthshire, Scotland. Bendochy in 1846. Bendochy, a parish, in the county of Perth, 2 miles (N.) from Cupar-Angus; containing 783 inhabitants. This place, previously to the Reformation, belonged principally to the monks of the Cistercian abbey at Cupar-Angus; and the church was, till that time, the parish church of Cupar-Angus; but after the Dissolution of monasteries, the lands were sold, and the resident tenants generally became the purchasers. Many of these lands still retain their ancient names, as Monk-Mire, Monk-Callie, and the Abbey Mill of Blacklaw, to which the adjacent estates were bound in thirlage, from which the proprietors lately obtained their exemption, by the payment of large sums of money. At Monk-Callie, formerly existed a small cell, of which the cemetery is still used as a burying-ground; and there are yet to be traced the foundations of an ancient chapel dedicated to St. Phink. The parish, which is situated near the eastern extremity of the county, is bounded on the south-east by the river Isla, and the lower lands are intersected by the river Ericht, which divides them into two nearly equal parts. The Isla and Ericht have both their source in the Grampian range; the former, after a south-easterly course of several miles, entering Perthshire, deviates to the south-west, and falls into the Tay at Kinclaven; and the Ericht, which consists of the united streams of the Blackwater and the Ardle, forms a confluence with the Isla. The south-eastern extremity of the parish is twelve miles distant from the north-western; but the surface is divided into detached portions by the intervention of the parishes of Rattray and Blairgowrie, which separate the highland from the lowland districts; and the whole area is not more than 10,000 acres, of which 5145 are arable, 2963 meadow and pasture, and 986 woodland and plantations.

The soil, in the lower lands, is rich, and the system of agriculture in a highly improved state; the chief crops are, wheat, barley, and oats, with potatoes and turnips. The introduction of bone-dust for manure, at an early period, has tended greatly to the improvement of the lands; furrow-draining has been extensively practised, and by the construction of embankments from the Isla and the Ericht, 500 acres of most valuable land have been protected. No sheep are reared in the parish, but considerable numbers are bought in October, and fed upon the turnips; the cattle are of the Teeswater and Angus breeds in the lower parts of the parish, and in the uplands chiefly of the Highland breed. There are salmon-fisheries on the Isla and Ericht, but they are not rented at more than £20 per annum. The rateable annual value of the parish is £6951. The substratum of the lower districts abounds with freestone, of which several quarries are in operation; and there is a bed of clay-slate, crossing the highland portion of the parish, which might be profitably wrought. A mill was erected at Cupar-Grange, by Mr. Archer, about the year 1840, for extracting the farina of potatoes, and the flour thus obtained is of excellent quality. The turnpike-road from Cupar-Angus to Blairgowrie passes through the parish, for about a mile; and an omnibus runs daily to the terminus of the railway at CuparAngus, whence trains start to Dundee. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Meigle and synod of Angus and Mearns; the minister's stipend is £251. 17. 6., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14 per annum; patron, the Crown. The church is a very ancient structure, containing a monument to Nicol Campbell, of Keithock, son of Donald, abbot of Cupar-Angus, a curiously carved pulpit, and various antique relics; it was repaired in 1843, and has 400 sittings, all free. The parochial school is well conducted; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and garden, and the fees average about £10 per annum. The late Principal Playfair, of St. Andrew's, author of a work on chronology, was a native of this parish.—See Persie.P