We’ve expanded our online archive of back issues of the Dean Village News, with new scans of 46 issues running as far back as 1981. Have a browse on our Documents page…

UPDATE: the scans have now been updated with an embedded approximation of their text, so you should be able to search them for particular words. The automated OCR (scanned-image-to-text) process isn’t perfect, insofar as it generally fails to recognise that there are two columns present and so badly loses the narrative flow of the newsletters, but it’s good enough for searching and indexing.

DVRL have just published the second phase of their feasibility study on scope and costings for proposed restoration work on the Dean Valley running from Dean Village to Stockbridge.  You can find all sixty-seven pages of it (!) on their site here.

Good news: the ramp on the Water of Leith Walk between Belford and the Haymarket steps reopened last week.  It feels rock-solid and is wider than its predecessor: no more single file!

Surveyors were seen this evening (4th June) on the closed path section just above the village.  Are we about to see some long-awaited progress here too?

The latest on the seemingly interminable river path closures, courtesy of the Water of Leith Conservation Trust:

• The section between Wester Coates (Haymarket steps) and Belford Bridge (Brittania Hotel) should reopen in mid May: they’re replacing the old wooden ramp at the bottom of the Haymarket steps.
• No news on the landslip between Damside and Belford Bridge: the Council remain tight-lipped due to ongoing legal proceedings.

More information on the Trust’s blog.

The Water of Leith Conservation Trust have recently updated their schedule of forthcoming events; these are many and varied, including talks on watermill conservation, the Pentlands and urban mushrooms; local literary, historical and architectural walks; cleanup events and a plant sale.  Those interested can read more in the Trust’s blog.

Previously… Scotland’s History Festival will take place in November.

This year, it celebrates the centenary of the great Scottish heroine Elsie Inglis, who lies buried in the Dean Cemetery.  She was a pioneering Scottish doctor, suffragist and founder of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals.

The Dean Village Association is running several events in support of the festival; they are listed in our calendar. Booking is essential for these events.

More information on Previously… itself may be found at http://www.historyfest.co.uk/.

People in Hawthornbank on the south side of the Water of Leith have put their weight behind a programme to regenerate their environment:

The Dean Village residents, led by Don, their newly appointed technical/design advisor, have approved a programme of regeneration of their locality.  Don said “The support from the residents’ committee has been fantastic.  We’ve introduced 315 new plants and I’m now working on a series of further measures to enhance the area and make the most of its natural beauty.  We love Hawthornbank and it deserves to be seen at its best.”

As well as new planting, the western garden area has been transformed from an untidy and tired garden space into a new paved viewing area, and the eastern area replanted with a Berberis hedge.  James Gibb, the local factors, have added their weight to the initiative by replacing the wooden fence by the riverside.

Many other changes are taking place.  Congratulations to Hawthornbank residents for demonstrating an imaginative and creative commitment to enhancing their local environment.

(The tree was saved and replanted!)

The Schoolyard, situated at the junction of Dean Path and Damside, has been developed by the City of Edinburgh Council as a play area for children and a rest area for visitors and residents.  An Information Board has been provided which describes the history of many of the buildings and features of Dean Village.

The restoration of Saint Bernard’s Well has been completed, but donations to the restoration would still be appreciated.  Please consider donating to Edinburgh World Heritage (details on linked page) in order to support this work!