EXHIBIT 10

                           CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT





         THIS AGREEMENT is entered into as of the 16th day of December,  1997 by
and between C&F FINANCIAL  CORPORATION,  a Virginia corporation (the "Company"),
and LARRY G. DILLON (the "Executive").


                                    RECITALS

         I. The Executive  currently  serves as Chief  Executive  Officer of the
Company,  and is a key member of management  of the Company and its  affiliates,
and his services and knowledge are valuable to the Company and its affiliates.

         II. The Board (as defined below) has determined  that it is in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders to assure that the Company and its
affiliates will have the continued dedication of the Executive,  notwithstanding
the possibility,  threat or occurrence of a Change in Control (as defined below)
of the Company.  The Board  believes it is imperative to diminish the inevitable
distraction of the Executive by virtue of the personal  uncertainties  and risks
created  by a pending  or  threatened  Change in Control  and to  encourage  the
Executive's  full  attention and  dedication  to the Company and its  affiliates
currently  and in the event of any  threatened  or  pending  Change in  Control.
Therefore,  in order to accomplish  these  objectives,  the Board has caused the
Company to enter into this Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:

         1.  CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.

         (a) "Agreement Effective Date" means December 16, 1997.

         (b) The "Agreement  Term" means the period  commencing on the Agreement
Effective  Date  and  ending  on  the  earlier  of  (i)  the  Agreement  Regular
Termination Date or (ii) the date this Agreement  terminates pursuant to Section
7. The "Agreement  Regular  Termination Date" means the third anniversary of the
Agreement  Effective  Date,  provided,  however,  that  commencing  on the first
anniversary of the Agreement Effective Date, and on each subsequent  anniversary
(such date and each subsequent  anniversary shall be hereinafter  referred to as
the  "Renewal  Date"),  unless this  Agreement  is  previously  terminated,  the
Agreement  Regular  Termination Date shall be  automatically  extended for three
years  from the  latest  Renewal  Date,  unless at least one month  prior to the
latest Renewal Date the Company shall give notice to the Executive in accordance
with Section 10(c) of this Agreement that the Agreement Regular Termination Date
shall not be so extended.

         (c) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

         (d) "Cause" means:

                  (i) the  willful and  continued  failure of the  Executive  to
         substantially  perform  his  duties  with  the  Company  or  one of its
         affiliates  (other than any such failure  resulting from incapacity due
         to physical or mental illness),  after a written demand for substantial
         performance  is delivered to the Executive by the Board,  pursuant to a
         vote of a majority of the "Outside Directors" (as defined below), which
         specifically  identifies  the manner in which the Outside  Directors of
         the Board believe that the Executive  has not  substantially  performed
         his duties, or

                  (ii) the willful  engaging by the Executive in illegal conduct
         or gross misconduct  which is materially and demonstrably  injurious to
         the Company.

For  purposes  of this  provision,  no act or failure to act, on the part of the
Executive,  shall be  considered  "willful"  unless it is done, or omitted to be
done,  by the  Executive  in bad faith or  without  reasonable  belief  that the
Executive's  action or omission was in the best  interests  of the Company.  Any
act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly
adopted by the Board or based upon the advice of counsel for the  Company  shall
be conclusively  presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in
good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of employment
of the  Executive  shall not be deemed to be for Cause  unless  and until  there
shall have been  delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution  duly adopted
by the affirmative  vote of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Board
who are not and have never been employed by the Company or its subsidiaries (the
"Outside  Directors") at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose
(after reasonable notice is provided to the Executive in accordance with Section
10(c) of this Agreement and the Executive is given an opportunity, together with
counsel, to be heard before the Board),  finding that, in the good faith opinion
of the Board,  the Executive  has engaged in the conduct  described in paragraph
(i) or (ii) above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.

         (e) The  "Change  in  Control  Date"  means the first  date  during the
Agreement  Term on which a Change in Control  (as  defined in Section 2) occurs.
Anything  in this  Agreement  to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  if a Change in
Control occurs and if the Executive's  employment with the Company is terminated
prior to the date on which the Change in Control occurs, and if it is reasonably
demonstrated by the Executive that such termination of employment either (i) was
at the  request of a third party who has taken steps  reasonably  calculated  to
effect a Change  in  Control  or (ii)  otherwise  arose  in  connection  with or
anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the
"Change in Control  Date" shall mean the date  immediately  prior to the date of
such termination of employment.

         (f) "Company" means C&F Financial Corporation, a Virginia corporation.

         (g)  "Coverage  Period"  means the  period of time  beginning  with the
Change  in  Control  Date  and  ending  on the  earliest  to  occur  of (i)  the
Executive's  death and (ii) the sixty-first day after the second  anniversary of
the Change in Control Date.

         (h)  "Disability"  means the absence of the  Executive  from his duties
with the Company on a full-time  basis for six months as a result of  incapacity
to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company,  including substantially
all duties normally considered a part thereof, due to mental or physical illness
or injury which is determined to be total and permanent by a physician  selected
by  the  Company  or  its  insurers  and  acceptable  to  the  Executive  or the
Executive's legal  representative.  If the Company determines in good faith that
the  Disability  of the  Executive  has  occurred,  it may give to the Executive
written  notice  in  accordance  with  Section  10(c) of this  Agreement  of its
intention  to  terminate  the  Executive's   employment.   In  such  event,  the
Executive's  employment with the Company shall  terminate  effective on the 30th
day after receipt of such notice by the  Executive  (the  "Disability  Effective
Date"),  provided  that,  within the 30 days after such  receipt,  the Executive
shall not have returned to full-time performance of his duties.

         (i)  "Good  Reason"  means  any good  faith  determination  made by the
Executive  (which  determination  shall be conclusive) that any of the following
has occurred:

                  (i) the occurrence,  on or after the Agreement  Effective Date
         and during the Coverage Period, of any of the following:

                           (A) the  assignment  to the  Executive  of any duties
                  inconsistent   in  any  material   adverse  respect  with  the
                  Executive's  position (including status,  offices,  titles and
                  reporting requirements), authority, duties or responsibilities
                  immediately  prior to the  Change  in  Control,  or any  other
                  action by the Company  which  results in a diminution  in such
                  position, authority, duties or responsibilities, excluding for
                  this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action
                  not taken in bad faith and which is  remedied  by the  Company
                  promptly   after  receipt  of  notice  thereof  given  by  the
                  Executive in accordance with Section 10(c) of this Agreement;

                           (B) a  reduction  by the  Company in the  Executive's
                  rate of  annual  base  salary,  benefits  (including,  without
                  limitation,  incentive or bonus pay  arrangements,  stock plan
                  benefit   arrangements,   and   retirement  and  welfare  plan
                  coverage) and  perquisites as in effect  immediately  prior to
                  the  Change in Control  or as the same may be  increased  from
                  time to time thereafter, other than an isolated, insubstantial
                  and  inadvertent  failure not occurring in bad faith and which
                  is remedied by the Company  promptly  after  receipt of notice
                  thereof  given by the  Executive  in  accordance  with Section
                  10(c) of this Agreement;

                           (C) the Company's requiring the Executive to be based
                  at any office or location more than 35 miles from the facility
                  where the  Executive  is  located at the time of the Change in
                  Control or the Company's  requiring the Executive to travel on
                  Company  business  to  a  substantially  greater  extent  than
                  required  immediately prior to the Change in Control Date (but
                  determined without regard to travel  necessitated by reason of
                  any anticipated Change in Control);

                           (D) any purported  termination  by the Company of the
                  Executive's  employment  otherwise than as expressly permitted
                  by this Agreement;

                           (E) any  failure by the  Company  to comply  with and
                  satisfy   Section   9(c)  of  this   Agreement   by  obtaining
                  satisfactory  agreement  from  any  successor  to  assume  and
                  perform this Agreement; or

                           (F) so long as no Cause for  Executive's  termination
                  by the Company  exists (or would exist assuming the Board made
                  a  determination  of  Cause),  a  voluntary  cessation  by the
                  Executive of his  employment  for any reason during any Window
                  Period.

                  (ii) any event or condition described in paragraph (i) of this
         Section 1(i) which occurs on or after the Agreement Effective Date, but
         prior to a Change in  Control,  but was at the request of a third party
         who effectuates the Change in Control, notwithstanding that it occurred
         prior to the Change in Control,  but such event or condition  shall not
         be considered  to actually  have  occurred  until the Change in Control
         Date.

         (j) "Covered Termination" means a termination of Executive's employment
during the Coverage Period (i) by the Company for any reason other than Cause or
the Executive's Disability or death, or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason.

         (k)   "Noncovered   Termination"   means  a  cessation  of  Executive's
employment which is not a Covered Termination.

         (l) "Window  Period" means any of (i) the 60-day  period  commencing on
the  Change in Control  Date,  (ii) the 60-day  period  commencing  on the first
anniversary  of the  Change  in  Control  Date,  and  (iii)  the  60-day  period
commencing on the second anniversary of the Change in Control Date.

         2. CHANGE IN CONTROL. "Change in Control" means the occurrence,  during
the Agreement  Term, of either an  "Acquisition  of  Controlling  Ownership" (as
defined in Section 2(a) below), a "Change in the Incumbent Board" (as defined in
Section  2(b)  below),  a "Business  Combination"  (as  defined in Section  2(c)
below), or a "Liquidation or Dissolution" (as defined in Section 2(d) below).

         (a) "Acquisition of Controlling Ownership" means the acquisition by any
individual,  entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2)
of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange  Act")) (a
"Person") of beneficial  ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (x) the then outstanding shares
of common  stock of the  Company  (the  "Outstanding  Common  Stock") or (y) the
combined voting power of the then outstanding  voting  securities of the Company
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the "Outstanding Voting
Securities").  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Section 2(a),
the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control:

                  (i)   any acquisition directly from the Company,

                  (ii)  any acquisition by the Company,

                  (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related
         trust)  sponsored  or  maintained  by the  Company  or any  corporation
         controlled by the Company, or

                  (iv)  any  acquisition  by  any  corporation   pursuant  to  a
         transaction  which complies with  paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of) of
         this Section 2(c).

         (b) "Change in the Incumbent  Board" means that  individuals who, as of
November 30, 1997,  constitute the Board (the  "Incumbent  Board") cease for any
reason to  constitute at least a majority of the Board.  For this  purpose,  any
individual  who  becomes a  director  subsequent  to  November  30,  1997  whose
election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved
by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then  comprising the Incumbent
Board shall be thereupon  considered a member of the  Incumbent  Board (with his
predecessor thereafter ceasing to be a member), but excluding, for this purpose,
any such individual whose initial  assumption of office occurs as a result of an
actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of
directors or other actual or threatened  solicitation  of proxies or consents by
or on behalf of a Person other than the Board.

         (c) "Business  Combination" means the consummation of a reorganization,
merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all
of the  assets of the  Company  (a  "Business  Combination")  unless  all of the
following occur:

                  (i) all or  substantially  all of the individuals and entities
         who were the beneficial owners respectively,  of the Outstanding Common
         Stock  and  Outstanding  Voting  Securities  immediately  prior to such
         Business  Combination  beneficially own,  directly or indirectly,  more
         than 60% of, respectively,  the then outstanding shares of common stock
         and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
         entitled to vote  generally in the election of  directors,  as the case
         may be, of the  corporation  resulting  from such Business  Combination
         (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such
         transaction  owns  the  Company  or  all  or  substantially  all of the
         Company's  assets either directly or through one or more  subsidiaries,
         in substantially  the same proportions as their ownership,  immediately
         prior to such Business  Combination of the Outstanding Common Stock and
         Outstanding Voting Securities, as the case may be,

                  (ii) no Person (excluding any corporation  resulting from such
         Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of
         the  Company  or  such   corporation   resulting   from  such  Business
         Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of,
         respectively,  the  then  outstanding  shares  of  common  stock of the
         corporation resulting from such Business  Combination,  or the combined
         voting  power  of  the  then  outstanding  voting  securities  of  such
         corporation  except to the extent that such ownership  existed prior to
         the Business Combination, and

                  (iii) at  least a  majority  of the  members  of the  board of
         directors of the corporation  resulting from such Business  Combination
         were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the
         initial  agreement,  or of the action of the Board,  providing for such
         Business Combination.

         (d) "Liquidation or Dissolution" means the approval by the shareholders
of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

         3.  OBLIGATIONS  OF THE  EXECUTIVE TO REMAIN  EMPLOYED.  The  Executive
agrees that in the event any person or group  attempts a Change in  Control,  he
shall not  voluntarily  leave the employ of the Company  without Good Reason (i)
until such attempted Change in Control terminates or (ii) if a Change in Control
shall occur,  until the Change in Control  Date.  For purposes of the  foregoing
clause  (i),  Good  Reason  shall be  determined  as if a Change in Control  had
occurred when such attempted Change in Control became known to the Board.

         4.  OBLIGATIONS UPON THE EXECUTIVE'S TERMINATION.

         (a)  Notice  of   Termination.   Any  termination  of  the  Executive's
employment  by the Company or by the  Executive,  other than by reason of death,
shall be  communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto given.
For purposes hereof:

                  (i) "Notice of  Termination"  means a written  notice given in
         accordance  with  Section  10(c) of this  Agreement  which  (A)  states
         whether such termination is for Cause,  Good Reason or Disability,  (B)
         indicates the specific  termination  provision in this Agreement relied
         upon,  if any, (C) to the extent  applicable,  sets forth in reasonable
         detail  the  facts and  circumstances  claimed  to  provide a basis for
         termination  of the  Executive's  employment  under  the  provision  so
         indicated, and (D) if the Date of Termination is other than the date of
         receipt of such notice,  specifies the termination date. The failure by
         the Executive or the Company to set forth in the Notice of  Termination
         any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of Good Reason,
         Cause or  Disability  shall not waive any right of the Executive or the
         Company,  respectively,  hereunder  or preclude  the  Executive  or the
         Company,  respectively,  from  asserting such fact or  circumstance  in
         enforcing the Executive's or the Company's rights hereunder.

                  (ii)  "Date  of  Termination"  means  (A) if  the  Executive's
         employment  is  terminated  by reason  of  Disability,  the  Disability
         Effective Date, (B) if the Executive's  employment is terminated by the
         Company  for  any  reason  other  than  Disability,  the  date  of  the
         Executive's  receipt  of the  Notice of  Termination  or any later date
         specified  therein,  as the  case  may be,  and (C) if the  Executive's
         employment is  terminated by the Executive for any reason,  the date of
         the Company's  receipt of the Notice of  Termination  or any later date
         specified therein, as the case may be.

         (b)  Obligations  of  the  Company  in a  Covered  Termination.  If the
Executive's employment shall cease by reason of a Covered Termination,  then the
following shall be paid or provided (the payments and benefits described in (i),
(ii) and (iii) below may hereinafter  sometimes be referred to as the "Change in
Control Benefit" or "Change in Control Benefits"):

                  (i) the  Company  shall pay or cause to be paid in cash to the
         Executive  in twelve  (12)  consecutive  quarterly  installments,  with
         interest at the applicable  federal rate (as defined in Section 1274(d)
         of the  Internal  Revenue  Code  of  1986,  as  amended  (the  "Code"))
         determined at the Change in Control Date on the unpaid  balance paid at
         the same time on each installment payment other than the first payment,
         with the first of such  installments  being paid not later than 30 days
         after the Date of  Termination,  (or if the Executive  requests and the
         Company  agrees  in a lump  sum  within  30  days  after  the  Date  of
         Termination)  and  with the  aggregate  payments  (excluding  interest)
         totaling an amount equal to the product of (A) two and one-half and (B)
         the sum of the  Executive's  (1) highest  aggregate  annual base salary
         from the Company  and its  affiliated  companies  in effect at any time
         during the 24 month period ending on the Change in Control Date and (2)
         highest aggregate annual bonuses (including any deferrals thereof) from
         the  Company and its  affiliated  companies  payable for the  Company's
         three fiscal years immediately preceding the fiscal year which includes
         the Change in Control Date;

                  (ii)  for  three   years   after  the   Executive's   Date  of
         Termination,  or such longer  period as may be provided by the terms of
         the appropriate plan,  program,  practice or policy,  the Company shall
         continue or cause to be continued  benefits to the Executive and/or the
         Executive's  family at least equal to those  under the Welfare  Benefit
         Plans. If the Executive becomes reemployed with another employer and is
         eligible to receive  medical or other  welfare  benefits  under another
         employer-provided   plan,  the  medical  and  other  welfare   benefits
         described  herein shall be secondary to those provided under such other
         plan during such  applicable  period of  eligibility.  For  purposes of
         determining  eligibility (but not the time of commencement of benefits)
         of the  Executive  for any  retiree  benefits  pursuant  to such plans,
         practices,  programs and policies, the Executive shall be considered to
         have remained  employed until three years after the Date of Termination
         and to have  retired  on the  last  day of such  period.  For  purposes
         hereof,  the term  "Welfare  Benefit  Plan" means the  welfare  benefit
         plans, practices, policies and programs provided by the Company and its
         affiliates (including,  without limitation, any medical,  prescription,
         dental, vision, disability,  life, accidental death and travel accident
         insurance  plans and split  dollar  insurance  programs)  to the extent
         applicable  generally to other peer  executives  of the Company and its
         affiliates,  but in no event shall such plans, practices,  policies and
         programs  provide the Executive with benefits which are less favorable,
         in the  aggregate,  than the most  favorable of such plans,  practices,
         policies  and  programs in effect for the  Executive at any time during
         the one year period  immediately  preceding  the Change in Control Date
         or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any
         time after the Change in Control Date to other peer  executives  of the
         Company and its affiliated companies;

                  (iii) if the Executive so requests in writing  within one year
         after the Date of Termination, the Company shall purchase the residence
         which the Executive was using as his primary residence at the Change in
         Control  Date,  or such later  date to which the  Company  consents  in
         writing in its sole  discretion,  for an amount equal to its  appraised
         fair  market  value at the time of  purchase,  where the  appraisal  is
         performed by an appraiser  who is mutually  agreeable to the  Executive
         and the Company or otherwise is selected by the  Executive  from a list
         of not less than five appraisers  selected by the Company and not doing
         any substantial business with the Company; and

                  (iv) to the  extent  not  theretofore  paid or  provided,  the
         Company  shall timely pay or cause to be paid or provide or cause to be
         provided to the Executive any other amounts or benefits  required to be
         paid or provided or which the  Executive  is eligible to receive  under
         any  compensation  arrangement,  plan,  program,  policy or practice or
         contract or agreement of the Company and its affiliated companies (such
         other  amounts and  benefits  shall be  hereinafter  referred to as the
         "Other Benefits").

         (c)  Obligations  of the Company in a  Noncovered  Termination.  If the
Executive's employment shall cease by reason of a Noncovered  Termination,  this
Agreement  shall terminate  without  further  obligations to the Executive other
than the obligation  timely to pay or cause to be paid or provide or cause to be
provided to the Executive his Other Benefits.

         5.  FULL SETTLEMENT.

         (a) No Offset  or  Mitigation.  The  Company's  obligation  to make the
payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations
hereunder  shall  not be  affected  by any  set-off,  counterclaim,  recoupment,
defense or other  claim,  right or action which the Company may have against the
Executive. In no event shall the Executive be obligated to seek other employment
or take any other  action by way of  mitigation  of the  amounts  payable to the
Executive  under any of the  provisions of this Agreement and such amounts shall
not be reduced whether or not the Executive obtains other employment.

         (b) Executive's  Expenses in Dispute Resolution.  The Company agrees to
pay, to the full extent  permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses which the
Executive may reasonably  incur as a result of a contest (in which the Executive
substantially  prevails) by the Company, the Executive or others of the validity
or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or any
guarantee of  performance  thereof  (including as a result of any contest by the
Executive about the amount of any payment pursuant to this  Agreement),  plus in
each case  interest on any delayed  payment at the lower of (i) the Crestar Bank
Prime Rate or (ii) the applicable  Federal mid-term rate provided for in Section
1274(d), compounded semi-annually, of the Code.

         (c) Payment prior to Dispute Resolution.  If there shall be any dispute
between  the  Company  and the  Executive  in the  event of any  termination  of
Executive's employment,  then, unless and until there is a final,  nonappealable
judgment by a court of competent  jurisdiction  declaring that such  termination
was a Noncovered  Termination,  that the  determination  by the Executive of the
existence of Good Reason was not made in good faith,  or that the Company is not
otherwise  obligated  to pay any amount or provide any benefit to the  Executive
and his  dependents  or other  beneficiaries,  as the case may be, under Section
4(b),  the Company  shall pay all  amounts,  and provide  all  benefits,  to the
Executive and his  dependents or other  beneficiaries,  as the case may be, that
the  Company  would be required  to pay or provide  pursuant to Section  4(b) as
though such termination were not a Noncovered  Termination.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing,  the  Company  shall  not be  required  to pay any  disputed  amounts
pursuant to this Section 5(c) except upon receipt of an adequate bond, letter of
credit or undertaking by or on behalf of the Executive to repay all such amounts
to which the Executive is ultimately adjudged by such court not to be entitled.

         6.  PAYMENT LIMITATIONS.

         (a) Excise Tax Payment Limitation.  Notwithstanding  anything contained
in this Agreement or any other  agreement or plan to the contrary,  the payments
and  benefits  provided  to, or for the  benefit  of, the  Executive  under this
Agreement or under any other plan or agreement which became payable or are taken
into  account  as a result of the Change in Control  (the  "Payments")  shall be
reduced  (but not below zero) to the extent  necessary  so that no payment to be
made, or benefit to be provided,  to the Executive or for his benefit under this
Agreement or any other plan or agreement  shall be subject to the  imposition of
an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code (such reduced amount is hereinafter
referred to as the  "Limited  Payment  Amount").  Unless the  Executive  and the
Company  shall  otherwise  agree,  the Company  shall  reduce or  eliminate  the
Payments to the Executive by first  reducing or  eliminating  those  payments or
benefits which are not payable in cash and then by reducing or eliminating  cash
payments,  in each case in reverse  order  beginning  with  payments or benefits
which are to be paid the farthest in time from the Determination (as hereinafter
defined).  Any notice given by the Executive  pursuant to the preceding sentence
shall take  precedence  over the  provisions of any other plan,  arrangement  or
agreement  governing  Executive's  rights and  entitlements  to any  benefits or
compensation.

         (b) Excise Tax Payment  Limitation  Determinations.  All determinations
required to be made under this Section 6 shall be made by the  Company's  public
accounting firm (the "Accounting  Firm").  The Accounting Firm shall provide its
calculations,  together  with  detailed  supporting  documentation,  both to the
Company and the Executive  within  fifteen days after the receipt of notice from
the  Company  that  there has been a  Payment  (or at such  earlier  times as is
requested by the Company) and,  with respect to any Limited  Payment  Amount,  a
reasonable opinion to the Executive that he is not required to report any excise
tax on his federal income tax return with respect to the Limited  Payment Amount
(collectively,  the  "Determination").  In the event that the Accounting Firm is
serving  as an  accountant  or  auditor  for the  individual,  entity  or  group
effecting the Change in Control,  the Executive shall appoint another nationally
recognized public accounting firm to make the determination  required  hereunder
(which  accounting  firm  shall  then  be  referred  to as the  Accounting  Firm
hereunder).  All fees,  costs and expenses  (including,  but not limited to, the
costs  of  retaining  experts)  of the  Accounting  Firm  shall  be borne by the
Company.  The  Determination  by the  Accounting  Firm shall be binding upon the
Company and the Executive (except as provided in Section 6(c) below).

         (c) Excise Tax Excess Payments  Considered a Loan. If it is established
pursuant to a final determination of a court or an Internal Revenue Service (the
"IRS")  proceeding  which  has been  finally  and  conclusively  resolved,  that
Payments have been made to, or provided for the benefit of, the Executive by the
Company,  which  are in excess  of the  limitations  provided  in  Section  6(a)
(hereinafter  referred to as an "Excess Payment"),  such Excess Payment shall be
deemed  for all  purposes  to be a loan to the  Executive  made on the  date the
Executive  received the Excess Payment and the Executive  shall repay the Excess
Payment to the Company on demand,  together with interest on the Excess  Payment
at the applicable  federal rate (as defined in Section 1274(d) of the Code) from
the date of  Executive's  receipt of such Excess  Payment until the date of such
repayment.  As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of
the Code at the time of the  Determination,  it is possible that Payments  which
will  not  have  been   made  by  the   Company   should   have  been  made  (an
"Underpayment"), consistent with the calculations required to be made under this
Section 6. In the event that it is determined  (i) by the  Accounting  Firm, the
Company (which shall include the position taken by the Company, or together with
its  consolidated  group,  on its federal  income tax return) or the IRS or (ii)
pursuant to a determination by a court,  that an Underpayment has occurred,  the
Company shall pay an amount equal to such  Underpayment to the Executive  within
ten days of such  determination  together  with  interest  on such amount at the
applicable  federal  rate from the date such amount  would have been paid to the
Executive until the date of payment.

         (d) Banking Payment Limitation.  Notwithstanding  anything contained in
this Agreement or any other agreement or plan to the contrary,  the payments and
benefits  provided to, or for the benefit of, the Executive under this Agreement
or under any other plan or  agreement  shall be reduced  (but not below zero) to
the extent  necessary so that no payment to be made,  or benefit to be provided,
to the  Executive or for his benefit  under this  Agreement or any other plan or
agreement  shall be in violation  of the golden  parachute  and  indemnification
payment limitations and prohibitions of 12 CFR Section 359.

         7.  TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.  This Agreement  shall be effective as of
the Agreement  Effective Date and shall normally continue until the later of the
Agreement  Regular  Termination  Date or, if a Change in Control  has  occurred,
until  the end of the  Coverage  Period.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  this
Agreement  shall  terminate  in any  event  upon the  Executive's  cessation  of
employment in a Noncovered Termination.

         8.  CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

         (a) No Disclosure by Executive. The Executive shall hold in a fiduciary
capacity for the benefit of the Company all secret or confidential  information,
knowledge or data  relating to the Company or any of its  affiliated  companies,
and their respective businesses, which shall have been obtained by the Executive
during  the  Executive's  employment  by the  Company  or any of its  affiliated
companies and which shall not be or become public  knowledge (other than by acts
by the  Executive  or  representatives  of the  Executive  in  violation of this
Agreement).  After  termination of the Executive's  employment with the Company,
the Executive shall not,  without the prior written consent of the Company or as
may otherwise be required by law or legal  process,  communicate  or divulge any
such  information,  knowledge or data to anyone other than the Company and those
designated by it.

         (b) Remedies for Breach.  It is recognized that damages in the event of
breach  of  Section  8(a)  above by the  Executive  would be  difficult,  if not
impossible,  to  ascertain,  and it is  therefore  specifically  agreed that the
Company,  in addition to and without  limiting  any other remedy or right it may
have,  shall have the right to an  injunction or other  equitable  relief in any
court of competent  jurisdiction,  enjoining  any such breach.  The existence of
this right shall not  preclude  the Company  from  pursuing any other rights and
remedies at law or in equity which it may have.

         (c) Breach Not Basis to Withhold Payment. In no event shall an asserted
violation of the  provisions  of this Section 8 constitute a basis for deferring
or  withholding  any  amounts  otherwise  payable  to the  Executive  under this
Agreement.

         9.  BENEFIT AND SUCCESSORS.

         (a) Executive's  Benefit.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be  enforceable  by  the  Executive's  personal  or  legal  representatives,
executors,   administrators,   successors,  heirs,  distributees,  devisees  and
legatees.  If the Executive should die and any amount remains payable  hereunder
after his death,  any such  amount,  unless  otherwise  agreed by the Company or
provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to
the Executive's devisee,  legatee or other designee of such payment or, if there
is no such designee, the Executive's estate.

         (b) Company's Benefit. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.

         (c)  Assumption  by Successor to Company.  The Company will require any
successor  (whether direct or indirect,  by purchase,  merger,  consolidation or
otherwise)  to all or  substantially  all of the business  and/or  assets of the
Company to assume  expressly  and agree to perform  this  Agreement  in the same
manner and to the same extent  that the Company  would be required to perform it
if no such  succession  had taken place.  As used in this  Agreement,  "Company"
shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business
and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by
operation of law, or otherwise.

         10. MISCELLANEOUS.

         (a) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance  with  the  laws of the  State  of  Virginia,  without  reference  to
principles of conflict of laws.  The captions of this  Agreement are not part of
the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect.

         (b) Amendment.  This Agreement may not be amended or modified otherwise
than by a written  agreement  executed by the parties hereto or their respective
successors and legal representatives.

         (c) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be given by hand  delivery to the other party or by registered
or certified  mail,  return receipt  requested,  postage  prepaid,  addressed as
follows:

                  If to the Executive:

                           Larry G. Dillon

                           ---------------------

                           ---------------------

                           ---------------------

                  If to the Company:

                           C&F Financial Corporation
                           James Hudson, III, Esquire
                           Counsel
                           Hudson and Bondurant, P.C.
                           826 Main Street, P. O. Box 231
                           West Point, VA  23181

or to such other  address as either  party shall have  furnished to the other in
writing in accordance  herewith.  Notice and  communications  shall be effective
when actually received by the addressee.

         (d) Severability.  The invalidity or  unenforceability of any provision
of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or  enforceability  of any other
provision of this Agreement.

         (e) Tax Withholding.  The Company may withhold from any amounts payable
under this  Agreement  such Federal,  state,  local or foreign taxes as shall be
required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

         (f) Waiver.  The  Executive's  or the Company's  failure to insist upon
strict  compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert
any right the Executive or the Company may have  hereunder,  including,  without
limitation,  the right of the Executive to terminate  employment for Good Reason
pursuant to this Agreement, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision
or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement.

         (g) Executive's  Employment.  The Executive and the Company acknowledge
that,  except as may  otherwise be provided  under any other  written  agreement
between the  Executive and the Company,  the  employment of the Executive by the
Company  is "at will" and,  subject to  paragraph  (ii) of Section  1(i)  hereof
deeming a termination to have occurred on or after the occurrence of a Change in
Control Date, the Executive's employment and/or this Agreement may be terminated
by either  the  Executive  or the  Company  at any time  prior to the  Change in
Control  Date, in which case the  Executive  shall have no further  rights under
this Agreement.

         (h)  Nonexclusivity of Rights.  Except as expressly provided in Section
6, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit the  Executive's  continuing
or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the
Company  or any of its  affiliated  companies  and for which the  Executive  may
qualify,  nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as the
Executive  may have under any contract or  agreement  with the Company or any of
its  affiliated  companies.  Amounts  which  are  vested  benefits  or which the
Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan,  policy,  practice or
program  of or  any  contract  or  agreement  with  the  Company  or  any of its
affiliated  companies at or subsequent to the Executive's  termination  shall be
payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract or
agreement except as explicitly modified by this Agreement.

         (i) Statutory References. Any reference in this Agreement to a specific
statutory provision shall include that provision and any comparable provision or
provisions  of  future  legislation   amending,   modifying,   supplementing  or
superseding the referenced provision.

         (j) Nonassignability.  This Agreement is personal to the Executive, and
without the prior written consent of the Company, no right,  benefit or interest
hereunder  shall be  subject in any manner to  anticipation,  alienation,  sale,
transfer,  assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge, except by will or the laws
of descent and  distribution,  and any  attempt  thereat  shall be void;  and no
right,  benefit or interest hereunder shall, prior to receipt of payment,  be in
any  manner  liable  for  or  subject  to  the  recipient's  debts,   contracts,
liabilities, engagements or torts.

         (k)  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in any number of
counterparts,  each of which shall be  considered  an original  and all of which
together shall constitute one agreement.

         (l)  Employment  with  Affiliates.  Employment  with  the  Company  for
purposes of this  Agreement  shall include  employment  with any  corporation or
other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect ownership interest of
50% or  more  of the  total  combined  voting  power  of  the  then  outstanding
securities of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the
election of  directors or which has a direct or indirect  ownership  interest of
50% or  more  of the  total  combined  voting  power  of  the  then  outstanding
securities  of the  Company  entitled  to  vote  generally  in the  election  of
directors.







         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive has hereunto set the Executive's hand
and, pursuant to the authorization from its Board of Directors,  the Company has
caused  these  presents to be executed in its name on its behalf,  all as of the
day and year first above written.




                                             /s/ Larry G. Dillon
                                             ----------------------------------
                                            LARRY G. DILLON, Executive


                            C&F FINANCIAL CORPORATION


                                            By       /s/ J.P. Causey Jr.
                                               ---------------------------------
                                            Name:
                                                 -------------------------------
                                            Its  Chairman Compensation Committee
                                                --------------------------------