Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/17/1974
NRHP Listing Date 11/06/1974
NRHP Reference Number 74002118
At the tip of Robins Neck overlooking the Severn River, this brick dwelling was the home of sea captain John Sinclair, a privateer. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Sinclair contributed both his ships and services to the war effort. With his small, maneuverable vessels, he was among the first to take British ships as prizes. A native of Hampton, Sinclair acquired his Gloucester County property in 1796 and built his house soon after, living here until his death in 1820. Unusually tall because of its above grade basement (necessitated by the marshy site), the structure is a characteristic example of late-18th-century Tidewater architecture, making use of a gambrel roof, a form employed by many Gloucester County houses of the period. The house was restored in the 1970s by historian Claude O. Lanciano, Jr.
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: July 29, 2021
