At the tip of Robins Neck overlooking the Severn River in Gloucester County, the brick dwelling at Lands End 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 the Lands End 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. Lands End 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