The Baxters of Dean Village
Kirkbrae house, originally a 17th or 18th century tavern for the village baxters now incorporating two earlier stones, to the south a sculptured early 17th century dormer head portraying a judge from the former Dean house. See also sundials to right of dormer
Dormer Head on Kirkbrae House
On the north side there is a cartouche dated
1619 from one of the baxters' buildings in the village. There
are here two hands, one holding the sheaf and the other the scales
and in addition two crossed bakers peels, and above a sun between two cherubs
with outspread wings and below the text
"In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread Gen 3 verse 19"
Cartouche on Kirkbrae House possible from Jericho mill
Kirkbrae House was extensively changed in 1892. From Millar row it is seen as a fantastic composition towering five storeys up the precipice at the south west abutment of the bridge, with the turret boldly corbelled out on the salient angle.
At the bottom of Bell's Brae there is emerging from the tarpaulin a newly refurbished four storey house
built in 1675 as a granary for the Baxters Incorporation. Over a doorway on east side is a
moulding with date on the keyblock, to the west also moulded, the over door panel
with a wheatsheaf, cherubs' heads two crossed peels with a pie
and three cakes, and a pair of scales. The larger inscription reads
"God bless the Baxters of Edinburgh who built this house 1675".
In a panel overhead scales and crossed peels are enclosed in a wreath, surmounted by a sheaf of corn and winged cherub heads and accompanied by the legend "Gods Prouedenc is our Inheritens" (still covered by blue tarpaulin)
Hawthorn Buildings, Dean Village