The foundation of the village dates from 1286. It was founded by the Cartoixa d'Escaladei, and its history is strongly linked to the Monastery's. Probably, the first inhabitants were some families that came from the neighbour village of Montalt. They left it because the monks offered them some pieces of land if the were voluntaries to move to another place.

About the foundation of the village, there is a legend that tells that two brothers called "Vilella" simultaneously founded either La Vilella Alta and La Vilella Baixa. However, this legend does not have any historical base to believe it, given the fact that La Vilella Baixa seems to have been founded much earlier.

The Priorat of the Monastery administrated the jurisdiction in the village, and it collected the tithes and the first fruits. Jaume II gave the direct domain to the Counts of Prades.

During the 17th.century, the village appeared under two names indistinctly. These names were "Vilalla d'Amunt" and "Vilella de Dalt". In the end of the century, the name of "La Vilella Alta" was the most abundant, and it finally became the definitive in the beginning of the 18th.century.

In 1716 it already had its own church. The church was converted into a fort during the first "Guerra Carlina". It was occupied by the Carlistas during one night, and they executed a liberal garrison early in the morning. This made the neighbours close the village with a wall that had a door and loopholes.

In 1926, it was created a cooperative of consumption, and since then this association has been the central point of all the cultural and leisure activities in the village. The new association was born after the union of two old associations, the "Veritat" and the "Aliança". Still today, some of the names of the houses make reference to the cultural past time of the village, as for example, "Teatro" (theatre).

The Major Feast is celebrated on the 18th.of January (Santa Prisca's Day). On the 13th.of December the population celebrates the Day of Santa Llúcia. In July, they celebrate the Summer Major Feasts on Sant Jaume's Day. In the second Sunday of August it takes place a meeting of "Sardanistes".

The most important building is the Parich Church of Santa Llúcia, which dates from the half part of the 18th.century. It is Neoclassical and has some Baroque elements. Within the Church, there is a painted altarpiece from the Reinaissance. Other beautiful buildings are the ones of "La Societat la Veritable Aliança" and "Ca l'Ardevol".

It is necessary to point out the lordly buildings of the Major Street. The streets of the village are very typical and representative of the villages of the Priorat County. Three of the most beautiful streets are the Major, Ereta and Nou Streets.

We suggest to visit the "Font Vella" and the "Font Àvia". These two fountains were the first points of the water supply of the village. In the dry seasons, the inhabitants had to keep the piece of wood, which was knows as "Post". What it showed was that the family who got the "Post" had the right to pick up some water. After a fixed time, this family gave the "Post" to another family, and so on and so forth. The "Font Vella" is nowadays a leisure area, and it is crossed by a long distance path G.R. 7-4.

- Asens, Joan. "Guia del Priorat." - Tarragona: Edicions de la Llibreria de la Rambla, 1981.
- Anguera, P. -Aragonès, M. "El Priorat de la Cartoixa d'Escaladei." - Santes Creus, fundació Roger de Belfort, 1985.