Virginia State Seal Virginia Department of Historic Resources

072-0003 Blenhiem

Blenhiem
Photo credit: Calder Loth, 2023

*Click on image to enlarge.

For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 07/15/1986

NRHP Listing Date 12/11/1986

NRHP Reference Number 86003475

Snugly set in the Powhatan County countryside, this genteel homestead is among the region’s earliest dwellings, situated on land patented in 1730 by the noted 18th-century surveyor, William Mayo. The original portion of the house began as a simple hall/parlor cottage constructed in the second half of the 18th century by Mayo’s son John, a member of the House of Burgesses. This core was expanded by Mayo’s grandson, William, and subsequent owners, into a rambling, U-shaped family seat. Lending visual character to the exterior are the shed dormers, a regional architectural idiom. Much of the present interior woodwork is country Federal and Greek Revival, dating from the first half of the 19th century. The younger William Mayo was a member of the first Cumberland County Court and served in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1777-1781 and 1783-1785.


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: February 22, 2023