Melrose was built by Charles Alexander Scott in 1813 near his mill on the James River in Fluvanna County. Scott was a member of the locally prominent family that operated Scott’s Landing and founded Scottsville. The Federal-style, two-story, center-hall brick house has Flemish bond above and American bond below its water table. Melrose is sited very dramatically at the top of a series of earthen terraces rising above the Seven Islands section of the river, which can be heard but not seen from the house. A fire in 1836 destroyed much of the interior, but Melrose was quickly restored within the original walls and most of the interior trim from this period survives. The slate roof probably was installed at the same time.