Exhibit 5.1


                       HUNTON & WILLIAMS
                  Riverfront Plaza, East Tower
                      951 East Byrd Street
                 Richmond, Virginia  23219-4074
                    Telephone (804) 788-8200
                    Facsimile (804) 788-8218


                        November 21, 1997



Board of Directors
CFW Communications Company
P.O. Box 1990
Waynesboro, Virginia 22980

                   CFW Communications Company 
               Registration Statement on Form S-8 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We are acting as counsel for CFW Communications Company (the
"Company") in connection with its Registration Statement on Form
S-8, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with
respect to up to 950,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock to
be issued by the Company (the "Shares") pursuant to the CFW
Communications Company 1997 Stock Compensation Plan (the "Plan").

In connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, you
have requested our opinion concerning certain corporate matters.

     In rendering this opinion, we have relied upon, among other
things, our examination of such records of the Company and
certificates of its officers and of public officials as we
have deemed necessary.

     Based upon the foregoing and the further qualifications
stated below, we are of the opinion that: 

     1.   The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth
of Virginia.

     2.   The Shares have been duly authorized and, when such
shares have been issued in accordance with the terms of the Plan,
will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Form S-8.  In giving
this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of
persons whose consent is required by section 7 of the Securities
Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                              Very truly yours,


                              /s/ Hunton & Williams