London Cottage
Why it's listed
Built about 1861 to 1863 on a 100 acre tract northwest of Pittsboro, this one-and-a-half story frame cottage rests on a full brick basement and is finished in board and batten siding under a steep gable roof with decorative brackets. Henry Adolphus London, a merchant who had settled in Pittsboro in 1836 and served as treasurer of the Cape Fear and Deep River Navigation Company from 1853 to 1873, and his second wife Catherine S. Moore London had the house built. It is regarded as the town's only Gothic Revival residence and reflects the bracketed cottage-villa designs popularized by Alexander Jackson Downing. The house is also tied to London's business activity and to the early economic growth of Pittsboro. Its interior retains Greek Revival mantelpieces, a central hall stair with square balusters, and tall floor-to-ceiling windows, and it has remained in private ownership since 1967.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is Pittsboro's only Gothic Revival residence and an early local interpretation of the bracketed cottage-villa type promoted by Alexander Jackson Downing. It is also linked to Henry Adolphus London, a merchant and treasurer of the Cape Fear and Deep River Navigation Company, and to the town's economic development after 1830.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82001287, listed October 5, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of Pittsboro on SR 1516, Pittsboro |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | October 5, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1861-1863 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house has survived in reasonably good repair and the present occupants are maintaining it. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.72692, -79.18658 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82001287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18156631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.