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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1


                                                        SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE
            101 NORTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 1900           THE GUARDIAN BUILDING
              CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28246          ONE LAW PLACE - SUITE 600
                   TELEPHONE (704) 377-2536                 P.O. DRAWER 12070
                    FAX (704) 378-4000                   ROCK HILL, S.C. 29731
                                                        TELEPHONE (803) 325-2900
                                                           FAX (803) 325-2929


                        ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON, P.A.
                                ATTORNEYS AT LAW


                                 April 17, 2001


First Bancorp
341 North Main Street
P.O. Box 508
Troy, North Carolina  27371-0508

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-4

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We refer to the registration statement, as amended (the "Registration
Statement), of First Bancorp, a North Carolina corporation (hereinafter referred
to as the "Company"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the
purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 590,000
shares of the Company's common stock, no par value per share (the "Shares"), in
connection with the Company's proposed acquisition of Century Bancorp, Inc., a
North Carolina corporation. We have examined the Articles of Incorporation and
the Bylaws of the Company, minutes of applicable meetings of the board of
directors of the Company and other Company records, together with applicable
certificates of public officials and other documents that we have deemed
relevant.

         Based upon the foregoing and subject to the conditions set forth below,
it is our opinion that the Shares, when sold as contemplated by the Registration
Statement, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The opinions
expressed herein are conditional upon the Company's Articles of Incorporation
and Bylaws not being further amended prior to the issuance or sale of any
Shares. This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of North Carolina, and
we express no opinion with respect to the laws of any other state or
jurisdiction.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in
the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act of 1933.

                                               Very truly yours,

                                               ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON, P.A.

                                               /s/ Henry H. Ralston

                                               Henry H. Ralston