Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh

[Mairi]

I visited an old part of Dean Cemetery recently to find a find an ancestor's grave. Had never been there before. What a revelation! There seemed to be thousands of tombstones, many ornate, plus obelisks and old trees, some gnarled in fascinating shapes.

It is in private ownership, has received some 'Heritage Funding' if I recall correctly and is well kept.

I was grateful for the help I received from the superintendant. He checked the records beforehand then met me and led me to the grave. Would never have found it myself and the atmosphere was a bit spooky, probably because of the dismal weather.

The great and the good of Victorian Edinburgh are apparently buried there.

It is such a shame there is no book recording these post -1855 graves, at least as far as I know. The history in that place is fantastic. Yes you can find references, on the web and in guide books, to a few of the famous folk buried there but I am sure there would be much interest in a comprehensive book based on the records.
Mind you, I would not like the task of recording what is on the gravestones!

Mairi

[Currie]

Hello Mairi,

My Great Great Uncle and his family are buried in Dean Cemetery and a relative in Canada sent me a photo of his grave. In the photo it’s a beautifully peaceful looking place, the trees and the green grass, the perfect spot for a picnic.

My family lived at 66 Dean Path in the 1870s.

There are great high definition images on Google Earth Latitude 55°57'16.46"N, Longitude 3°13'22.46"W.

If that’s Dean Cemetery on the corner of Queens Ferry Road and Dean Path with all the trees is that more of it to the south across Ravelston Terrace?

Alan

[AndrewP]

Hi Alan,

Yes that is Dean Cemetery, either side of Ravelston Terrace. According to the RCAHMS website, the original part is the larger section between Ravelston Terrace and the Water of Leith. The smaller section between Ravelston Terrace is described as the extension, having been purchased in 1877, but not developed until 1909.

An areial view can be seen at aerial view of Dean Cemetry and surroundings. Another variation of that view can be had by clicking on Birds Eye. That view can be rotated using the rotation arrow buttons to the left of that view.

The RCAHMS description can be seen at link to RCAHMS page.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Thanks for that Andrew.

My people must have lived just about next door and went to church just round the corner.

All the best,
Alan

[Mairi]

Yes Alan, it is very attractive. Part of the old section is on a slope towards the Water of Leith.

The newer part, next to Queensferry Road, is also a lovely place with a variety of mature trees and shrubs. Unfortunately modern high buildings dominate the skyline there.

The two superintendants' houses I saw, one in each part, are attractive. I think there is another one downhill. Have not passed that way for a while.

As I said, I do wish there was a published record of the inscriptions.

Mairi.

[Mairi]

Alan,

In the course of family research some months ago, I came across a possible branch of my Cuthbertsons living in one of the Superintendant's houses in Dean Cemetery. The father was the superintendant. Their address was Dean Path.

Curious to know where 'your' 66, Dean Path was/is, I have just looked at the 1881 census where you can search by address.

There were 39 folk living at 66! I cannot imagine a tenement type building there, but perhaps there was at the bottom of the hill.

I will see if I can find out more via an old map or a trip that way.

Mairi

[Currie]

Thanks Mairi,

It would be interesting to know what the layout was back then or approximately where in the street they lived.

GGF William Irvine b. c1851 & family were at 66 Dean Path from at least 1875 to 1881. He was a Mason.

All the best,
Alan

[AndrewP]

Hi Mairi and Alan,

On looking at the maps on the NLS site, I saw there were various mills on Dean Path (unsurprisingly on the stretch down the hill by the river), so I wondered if all these people at number 66 were the night shift workers in one of the mills. So on checking on Ancestry, I found that these people were of all ages in family groups. On counting up, the 39 people were in 8 households, so it looks like you are right to be looking for a tenement or similar property.

The property now known as 66 Dean Path, postcode EH4 3AU, seems to be about opposite Ravelston Terrace, between the two ends of Belgrave Mews (found using the postcode and address finder on the Royal Mail website, then inputting that postcode into www.streetmap.co.uk ). Whether that is an old or a modern building there now, I am unsure. Or maybe the street has been re-numbered at some time - I don't know. This location can be seen on the aerial view mentioned in my post above.

Some of the buildings shown at the north end of that row on the 1870s map are gone by the 1890s map.

1870s map - sheet 27 from the top row of http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/edinbu ... _2_sw.html

1890s map - III.7.7 from the bottom row of http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/edinburgh500_nw.html


All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Thanks Andrew,

That’s fascinating stuff.

On Google Earth the two buildings opposite the northernmost “bite” out of the cemetery perimeter seem to line up exactly with the 1870s and 1890s map and look as old as those in the Mews but the Mews buildings seem to have appeared somewhere between 1870s and 1890s. But the odds must be they have played around with the numbering at some stage.

I didn’t realise Dean Church was in that particular spot.

I’ll have a closer look at it later today.

Alan

[Mairi]

Hi Alan and Andrew,

I too had checked with the old maps in NLS. but of course could not judge what kind of buildings the block shapes denoted.

Have just found out that the address of Dean Parish Church is 65-67, Dean Path. Your relatives were probably opposite it, if the numbers were not changed. The church was built in 1836.

The 1881 census lists a couple living at No. 64~a widow and her son who was a graindocker.

At No. 68 there were three people~a widow, her daughter who was a dairymaid, and her son, a joiner.

These addresses indicate smaller dwellings. No. 66 was probably a big block~a tenement.

For historical backgound to the Dean Village have a look at

http://www.oldandnewedinburgh.co.uk/volume5

and type 'Dean Path' in Search.

Mairi.