Claughton-Wright House
Also known as: VDHR File No. 66-28
Why it's listed
Built around 1787 by planter William Claughton, this small frame house stands on Cherry Point Neck near Lewisetta, beside a cove of the Coan River. It is a 1 1/2-story, three-bay dwelling about twenty-four feet square, set on an English-bond brick foundation. A large Flemish-bond chimney with glazed headers marks the north end. Its two main rooms sit one behind the other rather than side by side, an unusual plan. Around 1827 Claughton's daughter Kitty and her husband James Wright remodeled the interior and added Federal trim that survives. The house is listed as a rare example of the modest but well-built home of a moderately wealthy Tidewater planter, a type far less often preserved than the large gentry mansions. Little has changed since the Wright period, though the house was abandoned in the mid-twentieth century and has deteriorated. A plan for a road that threatened it has been redesigned, and a buyer intends to restore it on its present site.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a rare surviving example of the small but well-built dwelling of a moderately wealthy Tidewater planter, a type that has largely disappeared. It keeps many original eighteenth-century and c. 1827 Federal details and has high integrity. The site is also judged to have high archaeological potential.
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 97000491, listed May 23, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 mi. NE of jct of VA 623 and VA 624, Lewisetta |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | May 23, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000491 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1787- c. 1847 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (built by William Claughton) |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned in the mid-twentieth century and deteriorated; once slated for demolition for a road, which is being redesigned so a buyer can restore the house on site. Current function listed as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 4.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.99482, -76.51274 (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.
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 97000491.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16890436
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.