Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/05/2007
NRHP Listing Date 11/01/2007
NRHP Reference Number 07001138
John Marshall’s Leeds Manor Rural Historic District, centered on the historic Leeds Manor Road, covers over 23,000 acres in the northwest section of Fauquier County. The district’s name comes from two sources: its association with the 18th-century Manor of Leeds, which was part of Lord Fairfax’s Northern Neck Proprietary; and the Marshall family, who bought the land from Lord Fairfax’s heir in 1781. Chief Justice John Marshall, with his family and associates, farmed much of the land well into the 19th century. Many of those large parcels remain intact and are still farmed, continuing to evoke the district’s significant agricultural past. The district also contains several African American communities established in the late 19th century and associated with descendants of the founding families. The district is home to an impressive collection of historic architecture ranging from simple 18th-century farmsteads such as Marshall’s birthplace at The Hollow, to grand 19th- and 20th-century estates such as Carrington and Morven. Most significantly, however, the district retains the sweeping vistas and large open landscapes typical of its past, with minor areas of concentrated modern development.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: April 13, 2021
