In and around the hamlet there can be found cottages, farms, former farms, a public house, a former public house, a huge former open cast site, former levels, a canyon left by an opencast or strip mining and a televisiontransmitter. A nearby proposal for a sandstone mine has been reported by newspapers locally after a number of unsuccessful planning applications since 2006. The landowner made further attempts in 2011.
History
It is most notable for St Illtyd's Church, a 13th-century building generally believed to have been built by Cistercian monks from Llantarnam on the site of a previous church which historians have tended to date as dating from 863 AD or thereabouts. The present dedication to St Illtyd is not however the original one, for it was not until around 1754 that this saint's name was given as the name of the church. The 9th century "Englynion y Beddau" collected among the texts now known as the Black Book of Carmarthen refer to "Llan Heledd" or "Llan Helet",, and this dedication has survived today in the place-name, having reached its present form via Llan Helet, Llanheledd, Llanhiledd and Llanhylithe down the years, although Llaniddel is given by Archdeacon Coxe in 1701 as the name of the parish and there are references to the church as being dedicated to "St Ithel" until around 1800. Until 1911 it was the parish church of Llanhilleth, now in the Diocese of Monmouth, and it remained in intermittent use as a place of worship until 1975. The following list of incumbents is given in various places.
The church was abandoned after 1975, although the circular churchyard, which is now closed for burials remains in the care of the Church in Wales. The building was de-consecrated in 1985 in an advanced state of decay, but was renovated as an historic monument in 1990. Today the Friends of St Illtyd help Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council look after the church building. John Wesley visited St Illtyd twice to speak at the preaching cross which is now in the graveyard.
Transport
The hamlet is a 47 minute walk or from Llanhilleth railway station where trains run hourly between Ebbw Vale and Cardiff Central. In 2021 services will operate to Newport. It is a 28 minute walk from the centre of Brynithel village, where residents are served by the number 1 bus between Six Bells and Abertillery, and the slightly further away Rugby Club stop provides connections to Stagecoach South Wales services:
