Denbigh, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Denbigh was a small unincorporated community in Warwick County, Virginia
, and was long the county seat
. After a municipal consolidation in 1958, it became a neighborhood of the independent city
of Newport News
.
, a royal governor of the Virginia Colony from 1656-1660. His son John Mathews (b. 1659 - May 1, 1706) married Elizabeth Tavernor on March 24, 1684 and they also made their his home at the Denbigh Plantation.
The first courthouse and jail were located nearby, at Warwick Towne, established in 1680. The colonial port was located at Deep Creek and the Warwick River
on 50 acres (202,343 m²) of Samuel Mathews' land. In 1790, Warwick County recorded 1,690 persons in the Federal Census, making it the third smallest county population-wise in Virginia. After the American Revolution
, in 1809, Warwick Towne was abandoned, and the county seat was moved to the area of Denbigh Plantation, near Stoney Run.
The town of Denbigh was the county seat
of Warwick County from 1810 until 1952, except for a short period from 1888 to 1896 when the courthouse was located in what is now downtown Newport News. It was moved back to Denbigh when Newport News became an independent city
in 1896.
Warwick County became an independent city itself in 1952. Six years later, in 1958, the City of Warwick
consolidated with the independent City of Newport News
, assuming the latter's better-known name.
, formed in 1634 in colonial Virginia, which became Warwick County in 1643. The former town of Denbigh is now considered a neighborhood area of Newport News. The preserved 1810 Warwick County Courthouse at Denbigh is now a museum.
The Denbigh neighborhood is in the north side of the city, and covers most of the area around the former town. Denbigh Boulevard, which for much of its length carries State Route 173, is a north-south connector road linking the two main east-west arterial roads running through the city, U.S. Route 60 (Warwick Boulevard) and State Route 143 (Jefferson Avenue). Many businesses and shopping centers are located along this road. Denbigh High School
, located on Denbigh Boulevard, is part of the Newport News Public Schools
division.
With a proliferation of public housing now in the Denbigh area, it has become the new, crime-infested, urban ghetto of Newport News replacing the Southeast (East End) of the city.
Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Warwick on July 16, 1952...
, and was long the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
. After a municipal consolidation in 1958, it became a neighborhood of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
.
History
Denbigh was named for Denbigh Plantation, which was patented by Colonel Samuel Mathews, who came to Virginia before 1618, filled several important posts, and became the father of Samuel MathewsSamuel Mathews (Governor)
Samuel Mathews , of Warwick County in the British Colony of Virginia, was a member of the House of Burgesses, the Governor's Council, and served as Royal Governor of Virginia from 1656 to 1660.-Biography:...
, a royal governor of the Virginia Colony from 1656-1660. His son John Mathews (b. 1659 - May 1, 1706) married Elizabeth Tavernor on March 24, 1684 and they also made their his home at the Denbigh Plantation.
The first courthouse and jail were located nearby, at Warwick Towne, established in 1680. The colonial port was located at Deep Creek and the Warwick River
Warwick River (Virginia)
The Warwick River is a tidal estuary which empties into the James River a few miles from Hampton Roads at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States...
on 50 acres (202,343 m²) of Samuel Mathews' land. In 1790, Warwick County recorded 1,690 persons in the Federal Census, making it the third smallest county population-wise in Virginia. After the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, in 1809, Warwick Towne was abandoned, and the county seat was moved to the area of Denbigh Plantation, near Stoney Run.
The town of Denbigh was the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Warwick County from 1810 until 1952, except for a short period from 1888 to 1896 when the courthouse was located in what is now downtown Newport News. It was moved back to Denbigh when Newport News became an independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
in 1896.
Warwick County became an independent city itself in 1952. Six years later, in 1958, the City of Warwick
Warwick, Virginia
Warwick is an extinct independent city which was located in the State of Virginia in the United States from 1952 until 1958. Formed by a political conversion of the former Warwick County, Virginia , it is now part of the independent city of Newport News, Virginia.-History:Warwick River Shire, named...
consolidated with the independent City of Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, assuming the latter's better-known name.
Denbigh as a neighborhood of Newport News
The present-day City of Newport News essentially includes all the territory of Warwick River ShireWarwick River Shire
Warwick River Shire was one of eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634. It was located on the Virginia Peninsula on the northern shore of the James River between Hampton Roads and the Jamestown Settlement....
, formed in 1634 in colonial Virginia, which became Warwick County in 1643. The former town of Denbigh is now considered a neighborhood area of Newport News. The preserved 1810 Warwick County Courthouse at Denbigh is now a museum.
The Denbigh neighborhood is in the north side of the city, and covers most of the area around the former town. Denbigh Boulevard, which for much of its length carries State Route 173, is a north-south connector road linking the two main east-west arterial roads running through the city, U.S. Route 60 (Warwick Boulevard) and State Route 143 (Jefferson Avenue). Many businesses and shopping centers are located along this road. Denbigh High School
Denbigh High School (Newport News, Virginia)
Denbigh High School is a high school in Newport News, Virginia. Denbigh carries grades nine through twelve and has an enrollment of approximately 1,500 students. This school was rated "Fully Accredited" by the Virginia Department of Education for the 2005-2006 school year...
, located on Denbigh Boulevard, is part of the Newport News Public Schools
Newport News Public Schools
Newport News Public Schools is the branch of the government of Newport News, Virginia that operates the city's system of public schools. , NNPS had an enrollment of 30,568. The district employs about 5,100 people, including 2,685 teachers and teacher assistants.-Organization:Like all public K–12...
division.
With a proliferation of public housing now in the Denbigh area, it has become the new, crime-infested, urban ghetto of Newport News replacing the Southeast (East End) of the city.
See also
- Warwick County, VirginiaWarwick County, VirginiaWarwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Warwick on July 16, 1952...
- Newport News, VirginiaNewport News, VirginiaNewport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
- Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia