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 till that time the church was the
parish church of Cupar- Ann;us; 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, the cemetery of
which 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 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 the Ericht both
have their source in the Grampian range: the former,
after a south-eastern 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 northern extremity of
the parish is as much as twelve miles distant from the
southern; 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 9S6 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, and more lately of guano,
for manure, has tended greatly to the improvement of
the lands; furrow-draining has been extensively practised,
and by the construction of embankments near the
Isla and the Ericht, 500 acres of most valuable land
have been protected from the floods of these rivers. 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: great numbers of cattle are stallfed,
chiefly on potatoes, for the shambles. There are
salmon-fisheries on the Isla and Ericht, but they are
not rented at more than £20 per annum. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £6951. The substratum
of the lowerdistricts affords a supply of freestone,
several quarries being in operation; and there is a bed
of clay-slate crossing the highland portion of the parish,
which might perhaps be profitably wrought. A mill
was erected at Cupar-G range, by Mr. Archer, about the
year 1840, for extracting the farina of potatoes; and
the flour thus obtained is of excellent quality. The
turnpike-roads from Cupar-Angus and from the Bridge
of Cally to Blairgowrie pass through the parish, and an
omnibus runs daily to the railway at Cupar-Angus.
For ecclesiastical purposes, Bendochy is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Meigle and synod of Angus
and Mearns: the minister's stipend is about £250, 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 Keithick,
son of Donald, abbot of Cupar-Angus; a curiously
carved pulpit, and various antique relics: it was re-
paired in 1843, and has 400 sittings. The parochial
school is well conducted; the master has a salary of £34.
4. 4., with a house and garden, and other emoluments
to the extent of £15 per annum. The late Principal
Playfair, of St. Andrew's, author of a work on chronology,
was a native of this parish. See Persie.