Draethen was classified as a conservation area in 1976 and has a unique historical association with the Tredegar Estate and Ruperra Castle.
Coates Brothers Paintworks was sited in Waterloo and was one of the biggest employers in the area. This site was earmarked for development with the potential for 500 houses to be built there.
Evidence found in old documents show that the church of St James in Rudry dates back to 1254, taking the form of a wayside shrine used by pilgrims on route to worship at shrines abroad. The parish records date back to 1627.