Dean Village is a peaceful village on the Water of Leith, Edinburgh’s largest river. Founded during the twelfth century by the Canons Regular of Holyrood Abbey, it is also known as the Water of Leith Village.Dean Village (dene means "deep valley" in Scots) was a prosperous hamlet for over 800 years. In the past, the area had eleven working mills on the strong currents of the city’s river.
Trade in Dean Village diminished and the village soon fell into decay and abandonment especially during the second half of the twentieth century. Ten years later, the greenness, tranquillity and proximity of the hamlet to the city centre made this area extremely popular and plans to redevelop it were put into place. It quickly became one of the most sought-out residential parts of Edinburgh.
It is extremely pleasant to go for a walk around Dean Village, located a few minutes away from the city centre. A small bridge over the river and the pretty stone houses dating from the seventeenth century give this part of Edinburgh a unique charm. It has numerous highlights, like the Water of Leith, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art or the Dean Cemetery.
