Aberystruth was an ancient ecclesiastical parish in Wales, located beside the north-west corner of the county of Monmouthshire against the border with Breconshire and between the parishes of Bedwellty and Trevethin. It extended from Beaufort in the north beyond Abertillery in the south. [2]
The parish church located near the centre of the parish in the village of Blaina and dedicated to St Peter, was first built about the year 1500 and that building lasted more than 320 years. [3] [4]
Following a fire which destroyed the original St Peter's another church was built on the site, the opening services being held on 4 December 1856; [5] this was demolished in 1966. The present St Peter's Blaina dates from the late 1960s and today forms part of a larger ministry area served by clergy headed by the Rector of Ebbw Vale.
Aberystruth remained the official ecclesiastical name of the parish into the 1980s. Clergy were styled Rector of Aberystruth (Blaina) in Crockford's Clerical Directory but it had been obsolete in all other usages for decades. An attempt in recent years to restore the name for a ministry area which would have linked the Abertillery and Blaina parishes under one heading did not, in the end, succeed.
Development of Aberystruth's coal and iron ore deposits in the early nineteenth century brought explosive growth to Abertillery and Nantyglo and its new suburb of Brynmawr.
Aberystruth is now the eastern portion of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent
The 19th century settlement of Brynmawr spanned the original boundary of Monmouthshire (parish of Aberystruth) and Breconshire (parishes of Llanelly and Llangattock). At the southern end of Boundary Street Brynmawr you may still find the Boundary Stone marking the point where the three parishes met. [6]
Abertillery is a town and a community of the Ebbw Fach valley in the historic county of Monmouthshire, Wales. Following local government reorganisation it became part of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough administrative area.
Brecknockshire, also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county. Named after its county town of Brecon, the county is mountainous and primarily rural.
Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Its highest point is Coity Mountain at 1,896 feet (578 m).
Monmouthshire, also known as the County of Monmouth, is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county. It corresponds approximately to the present principal areas of Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Newport and Torfaen, and those parts of Caerphilly and Cardiff east of the Rhymney River.
Brynmawr is a market town, community and electoral ward in Blaenau Gwent, Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level at the head of the South Wales Valleys. It grew with the development of the coal mining and iron industries in the early 19th century. Until the reorganisation of local authorities in 1974, Brynmawr was administered as part of the county of Brecknockshire.
St Illtyd is a hamlet near Aberbeeg, in southeast Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is situated on the mountain road between Pontypool and Abertillery in Blaenau Gwent. It rests at about 1200 feet above sea level. The Royal Mail postcode is NP13 2AY.
Gwent is a preserved county and former local government county in southeast Wales. A county of Gwent was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972; it was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent. The authority was a successor to both the administrative county of Monmouthshire and the county borough of Newport.
Blaina is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, ancient parish of Aberystruth, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshire. The place name is derived from the Welsh word blaenau "uplands". As of 2011, the town has a population of 4,808.
Abertillery railway station was a station which served Abertillery, in the Welsh county of Monmouthshire.
Beaufort is a community and village located in the historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire) and the preserved county of Gwent. It currently lies on the northern edge of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in Wales. According to the 2011 census, the population of the ward and community of Beaufort is 3,866
Nantyglo is a village in the ancient parish of Aberystruth and county of Monmouth situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent.
Llanhilleth is a village, community and an electoral ward on the A467 road between Ebbw Vale and Crumlin in Blaenau Gwent, Wales.
The North Gwent Deanery, a Roman Catholic deanery in the Archdiocese of Cardiff in Wales, covers several churches in North Gwent and the surrounding area. In the early 2000s, the Head of the Valleys deanery was split. The churches in its western part, in the county boroughs of Merthyr Tydfi and Rhondda Cynon Taf, became part of the Pontypridd Deanery and the churches in its eastern part, in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, became part of the North Gwent Deanery.
Rassau, sometimes The Rassau, is a village and community located in the historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire) and the preserved county of Gwent. It currently lies on the northern edge of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in Wales. According to the 2011 census, the population of Rassau is 3,234. Residents often refer to either Old Rassau and New Rassau or Bottom Rassau and Top Rassau to distinguish the different parts of the village.
Cwmtillery is a ward of Abertillery. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it is part of the administrative area of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, Wales.
Swffryd is a Welsh community on the boundary of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.
Coalbrookvale is a village in the Ebbw Valley in Blaenau Gwent. It belongs in the community of Nantyglo and Blaina.