The Handen Hold Colliery was to the north of the village past the Binney burn toward West Pelton.

A railway line ran from the Alma Pit, behind Front Street towards the Pelton Fell landings.

The First old age pensioners' club house was built by the old men of the village at the bottom of East Street in the late 1950s.

Grange Villa Pavilion Cinema showed the first talking movie in the area and Bud Flanagan appeared live when it opened.

The community, with help from grants and fundraising, opened the new Grange Villa Enterprise Centre in December 2004 which is used by residents young and old from provide cheap lunchtime meals to slimming clubs and Sure Start baby groups.