Urbanna in Middlesex County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Hewick

Photographed by Bessida Cauthorne White, June 7, 2025

1. Hewick Marker

Inscription. The wealthy and politically prominent Robinson family established Hewick, named for their estate in Yorkshire, England, on land acquired here late in the 17th century. Descendants maintained ownership of the property for much of its history. The labor of enslaved Africans and African Americans sustained the plantation. Christopher Robinson IV began building the main house in 1770 to replace an earlier dwelling. After his death, his sister Elizabeth and her husband, William Steptoe, enlarged the house. Elizabeth later controlled Hewick as a widow for 30 years and made improvements, including the addition of a second story. The property featured at least 11 dependencies.

Erected 2023 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number N-45.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 37° 38.303′ N, 76° 35.251′ W. Marker is in Urbanna, Virginia, in Middlesex County. It is at the intersection of Old Virginia Street (County Route 602) and Town Bridge Road

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(County Route 615), on the right when traveling west on Old Virginia Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5123 Old Virginia Street, Urbanna VA 23175, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Middle Peninsula.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

in the Chesapeake Bay Region,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Christopher Robinson (here, next to this marker); Urbanna Baseball (approx. half a mile away); Wormeley-Lee-Montague House and Marble House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Urbanna School (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Grave of Arthur Lee (approx. 0.6 miles away); Arthur Lee (approx. 0.6 miles away); Landsdowne

Hewick and Christopher Robinson Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bessida Cauthorne White, June 11, 2025

2. Hewick and Christopher Robinson Markers

(approx. 0.6 miles away); Coca-Cola Bottling Plant (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Urbanna.

More about this marker. Helen J Battleson LeBlanc Frederick of Murrieta, California, former owner of Hewick, had this marker erected in front of Hewick. She funded the marker with funds raised from her Robinson family cookbook in the 1990s.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. It is an older marker, also of the Virginia Highway Markers program, and stands three miles away.

Also see . . . Virginia Department of Historic Resources Listing for Hewick. Link contains the National Register of Historic Places nomination form and photographs of the house. (Submitted on October 7, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.)

Photographed by Bessida Cauthorne White, June 11, 2025

3. Hewick Marker

Photographed by Bessida Cauthorne White, June 11, 2025

4. Hewick Gate

Credits. This page was last revised on October 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2025, by Bessida Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Virginia. This page has been viewed 340 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 8, 2025, by Bessida Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Virginia. 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 11, 2025, by Bessida Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.