It is located 1.67 miles (2.69 km) south of Ebbw Vale and 14.5 miles (23.3 km) north of Newport. The A4046 runs through the village. The population of the community is 1,556.[2]
History
The Gwent Heritage voluntary group have extensively documented the history of the village as far back as its initial mining establishment. The Cwm and Waunlwyd branch of the group meets regularly to contribute to the collection of material about the region.[3]
Facilities in Waun-Lwyd include a public phone box, the Caersalem United Reformed Church (since 2018 a Baptist Church),[5] an Off Licence shop, a hair and beauty store, and a Smiling Valley Chinese restaurant.[6] Waunlwyd Methodist Chapel is a noted post medieval chapel building but its location has been unclear since 2002.[7]
The town had an NHS Wales branch surgery until closure in 2014.[8]
Until 2013 Waunlwyd Primary School was based in the village, and was redeveloped in 2009,[9] but has since closed.[10]
11% of the population can communicate in Welsh.[11] 72% of the resident population was born in Wales, while 20.8% were born in England.[11] The village is considerably less ethnically diverse than the UK average, with a 99% white population versus 89% nationally.[11] 62.3% of residents were employed either full, part time, or self-employed.[11]
It has a local football team, Waunlwyd F.C. established in 2023. The nearest rugby side is R.T.B. Ebbw Vale RFC.
The village is near to Festival Park, the home of the 1992 Ebbw Vale Garden Festival and now a shopping centre.[12] Owners GWM Capital purchased the site in 2019 and state they are redeveloping the site to become an activity and retail hub.[12]
