Margots
Why it's listed
Margots is a three-bay brick house on a wooded hill above the Chickahominy River in northeast Charles City County, Virginia. Its construction date is undocumented, but stylistic evidence places it in the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century. The exterior is laid in English bond, with all headers on the east and west facades glazed, giving a horizontal striped pattern that the nomination says has no parallel in the state. The house also has T-shaped chimney shafts, an unusual splayed and shouldered exterior chimney, and a closed-string stair with a pulvinated frieze. A frame second story and an east room were added in the nineteenth century, and doors, sash, arches and mantels have been replaced, but much of the original brickwork and some interior trim survive. Early records were lost during the Civil War, so its history is hazy. The property has been called Clay Bank, Gravel Hill and Eagle Lodge. The house is unoccupied and basically sound, and was sold to a state agency in 1973.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Margots typifies the solidity of the few surviving circa 1700 medium-sized houses of Tidewater Virginia. It has features not found on other houses of the period, notably glazed-header English bond brickwork that produces a striated pattern on the main facades, which has no parallel in Virginia. Its closed-string stair also has interesting period details.
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 73002203, listed August 17, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Tettington off VA 621, Tettington |
|---|---|
| County | Charles City County |
| Listed | August 17, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002203 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied but in basically sound condition; the form describes it as altered and in fair condition, with additions of inferior quality. |
| Acreage | 135 |
| Coordinates | 37.30978, -76.88816 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 73002203.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.