Those old enough will remember the days when Nine Mile Point was in production.
The huge coal tip completely dominated the Valley floor and it was impossible to see from one side of the Valley to the other.
The colliery closed in 1964 and the tip was eventually reduced and flattened.
The area is now occupied by an industrial estate.
Ynysddu was the birth place of William Thomas ( 1832 - 1878 ) better known as the poet 'Islwyn'
Islwyn adopted his bardic name from the mountain, Mynyddislwyn, which overlooks his home village.
Considered to be one of the greatest of Welsh 'modern' poets, Thomas' first language was English.
In his youth he was destined for a career as a mining surveyor but acquired a fluency in Welsh, which coupled with his conversion to Calvanistic Methodism, led to his passion for poetry.
His finest work ' Y Storm' , was partly inspired by the death of his fiancee, Ann Bowen,
an event which was to influence him for the remainder of his short life and although he later married Margaret Davies, he never came to terms with the loss of his first love.
Islwyn is buried at Babell Chapel, Cwmfelinfach.
Two views of Babell Row, Cwmfelinfach - a typical row of miner's cottages now demolished
Babell Chapel can be seen at the end of the row in picture 1
Note how near the railway line was to the houses !
