SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                           The Securities Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  July 29, 1996
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                               CENTURA BANKS, INC.
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               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



                                                  
North Carolina                      1-10646                   56-1688522
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(State of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer Identification No.)


134 North Church Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina          27804
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(Address of principal executive office)                      (Zip code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:           (919) 977-4400
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                                       N/A
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          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)









Exhibit Index on Page 4.














Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets:
On July 26, 1996,  Centura Banks, Inc.  ("Centura")  successfully  completed its
assumption of deposits and deposit related loans of the Greensboro, Raleigh, and
Wilmington branch offices of Essex Savings Bank, F.S.B. Centura did not purchase
the physical branch  facilities;  therefore,  the customer  accounts were merged
into existing Centura Bank locations. Press release is attached as Exhibit 99.







Item 7.  Financial statements and Exhibits.
The  exhibit  listed  in the  Exhibit  Index is filed  herewith  as part of this
Current Report on Form 8-K.











                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                                     CENTURA BANKS, INC.
                                                     Registrant


Date: July 29, 1996                         By:      /s/ Frank L. Pattillo
                                                     Frank L. Pattillo
                                                     Chief Financial Officer









                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                                                                  Sequential
                                                                      Page
Exhibit               Description of Exhibit                         Number
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99           Press release dated July 29, 1996                          5