Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/20/1977
NRHP Listing Date 05/23/1980
NRHP Reference Number 80004201
The Wormeley Cottage is the simplest of the few early houses remaining in the once bustling colonial port of Urbanna. It stands on a lot originally owned by the Wormeley family of Rosegill, and it is assumed that they erected the building for use as a plantation overseer’s house ca. 1747. It was later owned by Arthur Lee of nearby Lansdowne. The small Middlesex County house, with its side-hall plan, gabled dormers, and steep roof, is a typical example of Tidewater Virginia vernacular architecture. The asymmetrical chimney, with its tiled weatherings, is a fine specimen of 18th-century masonry. The interior is simple and likely never had much decoration. Early fabric includes several raised-panel doors and a double-beaded chairboard. An enclosed straight-run stair ascends from back to front. Rescued from threatened demolition, Wormeley Cottage was restored in 1976 by preservationist Robert L. Montague III.
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: May 4, 2022
