Melingriffith Tin Plate Works

The Melingriffith Tin Plate Works (alternate: Melingriffith Tin and Iron Works; Welsh, Melingruffydd; translation, "Griffith's Mill") were post medieval tin and iron works located on Tŷ-mawr Road, in Whitchurch, Cardiff, Wales. Founded sometime before 1750, it was the largest tin-plate works in the world by the end of the 18th century. Subsequent to the closure of Melingriffith Tin Plate Works in 1957 (the site has been cleared and fenced), it was named a scheduled monument. The 200-year-old Melingriffith water pump is also a scheduled monument. It is one of the earliest and most important works of its kind, and may be "the most notable surviving monument of the tinplate industry".

Melingriffith Works was situated at the foot of the Taff Valley, on the banks of the Taff River and the Glamorganshire Canal. The works covered an area of 4 acres (1.6 ha). They were connected with the Glamorganshire Canal and also with the Taff Vale Railway by a siding nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) long, at a point just below Taff's Well station. The eleven rolling mills were situated at a lower level than the other parts of the works in order to take advantage of the fall of the water. The Radyr Weir, situated on the river about 1 mile (1.6 km) above the works, was renewed and strengthened in 1774 to provide a more regular supply of water.Velindre ("the house of the mill") was situated on the crest of a hill which overlooked the works.

Prior to the establishment of the tin-plate works, a corn mill was located on the same site. It became the mill of the manor of the Lord of Senghenydd and was referred to as "Melingriffith", deriving from Gruyffydd, who was the son of Ifor Bach, Lord of Senghenydd in the 12th century.

Before manufacturing tinplates, Melingriffith was a forge, with tin plates, iron plates, wire, and other specialties added later. Eventually, the business was worked in conjunction with the "Pentyrch Iron Forge, Blast Furnaces, Collieries and Mine Pits", located at Pentyrch. The Pentyrch Forge (a scheduled monument), and Pentyrch Iron Furnace (a scheduled monument), both being parts of Pentyrch Ironworks, were connected with Melingriffith by the narrow gauge Melingriffith and Pentyrch Railway (a scheduled monument). Melingriffith's mills held names as "Princess," "Volunteer," "Old Forge," "New Forge," "Fly," and "Turbine,", but were later referred to by numbers.

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