We ventured along the Water of Leith Walkway for a lockdown wander last weekend and ended up at Dean Village. I forget what a wonderful spot it is. Nestled down by the Water of Leith, towered over by New Town grandeur, the village exuded a quiet calm amongst the desperate walkers!
Dean comes from dene, meaning ‘deep valley”. For over 800 years, the village was the centre of a grain milling industry, at one point supporting up to 11 mills. You can imagine the hive of industry, powered by the Water of Leith.
There were many occupations in this self-contained village, from breadmaking and weaving, to tanning and dyeing. However, when larger and more modern flour mills were built in Leith, trade disappeared and with it jobs and wealth.
Having suffered decades of decay and neglect in the mid 1900s, the village has since been recognised as an oasis of calm and tranquillity, hidden away within a mile of the city centre. Investment and restoration have made Dean Village a desirable place to live once again.
Dean Village Primary, stone medallion
Dean Village on Water of Leith
Well Court on Water of Leith
As you wander down the skinny cobbled streets, notice the assortment of tenements and cottages. The most striking building, Well Court, was built in 1880’s, and recently restored with support from Edinburgh World Heritage.
Commissioned in 1883, the building has many carved red sandstone plaques to commemorate its building, a communal courtyard and a clock tower. Well Court was designed to provide decent housing for local workers. Although it was true, these were better than most, the tenants had to abide by strict rules. A strict curfew meant you could be locked out at night, and a service was held every Sunday that was obligatory.
If you walk down the river from the village, you will venture under the four-arched Dean Bridge. It spans the gorge between the Dean Estate on the West and the city centre. Designed by Thomas Telford, and opened in 1833, the bridge is a feat of engineering and is as wonderful to walk under as it is over. The only changes made since 1833 is the side parapet of the bridge was raised in 1912 to deter suicides.
St Bernard’s Well, Water of Leith
A little further down the river is the classical temple of St Bernard’s Well. After locals discovered a natural spring, word spread quickly that the water had magical healing properties. Soon the wealthy began to flock to the spring in search of miracle cures. A circular neoclassical pump room was erected on the site, based on an ancient Roman temple in Tivoli. In the centre stands a statue of Hygeia, the goddess of health.
Following the Water of Leith Walkway upriver, past the village, you will reach some steep steps. These steps will bring you out onto Belford Terrace and within reach of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art – Modern One and Modern Two. These two elegant neoclassical buildings were established as orphanages in the early 1880s. Converted and refurbished in the late 1900s, they now exhibit masterworks of the modern and contemporary era.