Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

BEN DAMHAIN
tain in Lorn, Argyllshire. It fills all the space between
Loch Awe and the upper reach of Loch Etive ; measures
fully 20 miles in circuit round the base, and rises to an
altitude of 36S9 feet above sea-level. It flanks the
entire extent of the lower or outspread part of Loch
Awe ; soars, in magnificent mass, to the sky-line of all
the view down Loch Awe basin ; and is subtended on
the NE by vast mountain ranges extending to Glencoe.
It ascends steeply on the N, so as to be fully seen at
near points from base to summit ; but it ascends gradu-
ally, or somewhat gently, on the S and the W, and can
be climbed, on these sides, with considerable ease. Its
lower parts are extensively covered with natural wood,
its upper parts are bare and tumulated ; and its summit
is split into two steep or spire-like cones. The view
from it is wide, diversified, and very gorgeous, little if
at all inferior to that from Ben Lawers, and excelled in
Scotland by no other unless it be from Ben Lomond.
Eeddish granite, of porphyritic appearance, forms its
main rock ; clay slate, with veins of quartz, occurs near-
its base ; and sea-shells have been found on its very
summit. — Ord. Sur., sh. 45, 1876.
Ben Damhain, a mountain in the NW corner of Ar-
rochar parish, Dumbartonshire, contiguous to the meet-
ing-point with Perthshire and Argyllshire. It has an
altitude of 2242 feet above sea-leveL
Bendeanavaig (Gael. ' hill of defence '), a mountain
in Portree parish, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire, to the
S of Portree harbour. It rises to a height of 1348 feet ;
like the neighbouring monarch-mountain of Ait-Suidhe-
Thuin, is capped with a green hill ock ; and has so re-
markable a form as to be a sure landmark to mariners.
In its seaward bases are tide-washed caverns, where sea-
fowl and wild pigeons build ; and, athwart steep decli-
vities overhanging the sea, are numerous conical rocks,
green or heathy on their tops, and interspersed with
ravines and pastoral hollows.
Ben Dearg or Dearig (Gael. ' red mountain '), a moun-
tain in the E of Lochbroom parish, Ross-shire, 5J miles
ESE of the head of Loch Broom. It overhangs the N
side of a fine wooded glen, leading down to the head of
Loch Broom, and it rises to an altitude of 3547 feet
above sea-level. Its chief rock is gneiss, with veins of
granite and beds of quartz rock.
Ben Dearg, a Grampian su mm it in the N of Blair
Athole parish, Perthshire, culminating 8J miles N by W
of Blair Athole village, and 3A S of the Inverness-shire
border, at 3304 feet above sea-level. It flanks the E
side of the upper part of Glenbruar, and is the most
remarkable of the numerous mountains of Blair Athole,
taking its name from a vein of red stone, said to be a
kind of granite.
Ben-derg-veg and Ben-derg-vore, two summits on or
near the NE border of Eddrachillis parish, N"W Suther-
land, respectively 5f and 8| miles S by E of Cape
Wrath, and 1391 and 1528 feet high.
Bendhu or Bendubh, a mountain 2108 feet high, in
Luss parish, Dumbartonshire, culminating 2J miles N¥
of Luss village.
Bendochy, a parish of E Perthshire, that, with a total
area of 9529§ acres, 161§ of which are water, consists of
three separate sections, parted from one another by in-
tervals 2 miles and -1- mil p. wide. Bendochy proper, or
the south-eastern section, is bounded K"E by Alyth, SE
and S by Coupar- Angus, W by Blairgowrie and Rattray,
NW by the Creuchies portion of Blairgowrie ; and has
an extreme length from ST by E to S by W of 6| miles,
and a breadth from E to W of from § to 2J miles. The
Drimmie or middle section, 1J mile long from N to S
by 1J broad, is bounded NE by Alyth, E and SE by
Rattray, SW and NW by Blairgowrie ; and Persie, or
the north-western section, 3J miles long from N to S,
and from 1 \ to lg mile wide, is bounded N by the Milton
and Bleaton portions of Caputh and Rattray, E by Alyth
and Blairgowrie, S by Blairgowrie and Kinloeh, W by
the Blackcraig portion of Blairgowrie, and NW by
Eirkmiehael. The Isla, here a deep and sluggish river,
75 yards wide below the church, where it is spanned by
a five-arched bridge (1766), winds 7 miles south-west-
BENEVACHART
ward, roughly tracing all the Meigle and Coupar-Angus
boundary ; and its affluent, the Burn of Alyth, for If
mile marks the north-eastern border. Persie, in turn,
is bounded SW and S by the Ardle for 2J miles, and E
for 3J by the Black Water, which unite near Strone
House to form the ' ireful ' Ericht, a stream that for
\\ mile divides the Drimmie section from Blairgowrie,
and later runs If mile through Bendochy proper, fall-
ing there into the Isla. Here Bendochy, belonging to
Strathmore, is low and relatively level, declining to
100 and nowhere exceeding 229 feet above sea-level ;
but it rises gradually northwards to 397 feet near Piet-
field, and to 918 feet in the Hill of St Fink, thenfa
again sinking north-eastwards to 500 feet along the
Burn of Alyth. The surface of the Drimmie section,
too, has a northward ascent from less than 500 to over
900 feet ; as that of Persie, from 595 feet at Strone
House to 1131 at Monks Cally, 1097 near Paterlach,
1000 at Craighead, and 1458 at Knock of Balmyle,
which culminates just beyond the NW angle. Devonian
rocks predominate in Bendochy proper, where are 4
sandstone quarries ; and Plutonic rocks in Persie, where
fuller's earth and clay-slate have been worked ; the soils
are alluvial on the best arable lands, and elsewhere
range from strong loam to thin moorish earth. Principal
Playfair of St Andrews was a native. Mansions are
Hill of Couttie, Isla Bank, Wester Bendochy, Mudhall,
and St Fink in Bendochy proper, Rannagulzion House
in the Drimmie section, Strone House and Cally in
Persie ; and 8 proprietors hold each an annual value of
£500 and upwards, 15 of between £100 and £500, and
2 of from £20 to £50. For church, school, and regis-
tration purposes, the two north-western sections are
included in the quoad sacra parish of Persie ; and Ben-
dochy proper constitutes another quoad sacra parish in
the presbytery of Meigle and synod of Angus and Mearns,
its minister's income being £370. The ancient church
(repaired 1803 ; 380 sittings) stands 2 miles N of the
pos -town, Coupar-Angus ; and 1 mile further N" is a
public school, which, with accommodation for 55 chil-
dren, had (1879) an average attendance of 39, and a
grant of £53, 6s. Valuation (1881) £12,075, 7s. 5d.
Pop. of q. s. parish (1881) 499 ; of civil parish (1755)
1293, (1801) 860, (1811) 748, (1841) 783, (1861)
769, (1871) 675, (1881) 680.— Ord. Sur., shs. 48, 56,
1868-70.
Ben Donich, a mountain in Lochgoilhead parish, Cowal,
Argyllshire, culminating 2J miles JSTNE of the head of
Loch Goil, at 2774 feet above sea-level.
Ben Doran or Doirearrn (Gael. ' stormy mountain '),
a mountain in Glenorchy parish, Argyllshire, near the
eastern border of the county, 3 miles SE of the efflux of
the Orchy river from Loch Tulla. It rises to an altitude
of 3523 feet above sea-level ; and it has been rendered
famous among Highlanders by the Gaelic muse of Duncan
Ban M'Intyre.
Bendubh. See Bendhu.
Ben Ducteach, a mountain (1750 feet) at the meeting-
point of Dumbarton, Perth, and Stirling shires, 1 J mile
E by S of the head of Loch Lomond.
Beneaddan or Ben Yadain, a mountain in Morvern
parish, ArgyBshire. Flanking the southern shore of
Loch Sunart, it rises to an altitude of 1873 feet above
sea-level ; toward the summit is an excavated flight of
steps, called Cenmanan Fhin or Fingal's Stair.
Beneagen. See Ben Aigan.
Ben Eay, a mountain (3309 feet) in Gairloch parish,
W Ross-shire, 5 miles S of Loch Maree.
Ben Eich, a mountain in Luss parish, Dumbartonshire,
on the M" side of Luss Water, 4 miles W by N of Luss
village. It has an altitude of 2302 feet above sea-level.
Benein or Am Binnein (Gael. ' mountain of birds '),
a mountain on the mutual border of Balquhidder and
Trillin parishes, Perthshire, culminating 1J mile S of
Benmore, at 3827 feet above sea-level.
Ben Eoin, a mountain in the S of Sutherland, over-
hanging the N side of Strath Oykel, 17 miles WKW of
Bonar-Bridge.
Benevachart, a mountain (3000 feet) on the mutual
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