The Melingriffith Water Pump was designed by Watkin George in 1795 and used up until 1927 to "top up" the water level in the Glamorganshire Canal, the water came from the Melingriffith Steel Works after it had been used to drive the machinery in the works. The water originally was fed to the tinplate works via a feeder which took the water from the Taff at Radyr weir.