Custis Tombs, place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
The Custis Tombs is a cemetery in Northampton County, Virginia, with two graves set on a concrete platform surrounded by a brick wall. John Custis IV's marble tomb from around 1750 features a pyramid top decorated with family coat-of-arms, inscriptions, and skull motifs, while the earlier limestone tomb of John Custis II dates to the 1600s.
John Custis II arrived from Rotterdam around 1650 and gained wealth through tobacco planting while serving on the colonial governor's council. John Custis IV, his grandson, served on the governor's council for over 20 years and was known as a lawyer, gardener, and plant collector before his tomb was created around 1750 by London craftsman William Colley.
The Custis name comes from John Custis II, who arrived from Rotterdam around 1650 and built wealth in the colony. Today, visitors can see the craftsmanship in John Custis IV's marble tomb, which blends European art styles with colonial design and shows how the family marked their presence for future generations.
The site is located on Arlington Road, about 4 miles south of Cape Charles, and is open year-round. Since many historic places in Virginia are privately owned, visitors should remain respectful and view the tombs from public roads or paths nearby.
The site was long connected to Virginia's grandest colonial residence, the Arlington plantation, whose excavated foundations revealed a house over 50 feet long with three chimneys and ornate brickwork. George Washington Parke Custis, a great-great-grandson, later named his Fairfax County estate after this Eastern Shore home, creating a link to what is now Arlington National Cemetery.
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