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) . . . . . . . . August 10, 1998



                        SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY BANCORP, INC.
            ------------------------------------------------------ 
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



     West Virginia              0-16587                  55-0672148
- ----------------------      ------------------      -------------------
 (State of other              (Commission            (I.R.S. Employer
  jurisdiction)               File Number)           Identification No.)
 


                     310 Main Street, Moorefield, WV, 26836
          -----------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)




        Registrant's telephone number, including area code     (304) 538-2353



                                       N/A
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)













     Item 5.

     South  Branch  Valley  Bancorp,  Inc.  ("South  Branch")  intends  to  seek
     regulatory  approval to establish a de novo  national bank to be located in
     Winchester,  Virginia.  South  Branch  intends to retain  Ronald F. Miller,
     formerly   President  and  Chief   Executive   Officer  of  First  National
     Corporation and First Bank, Strasburg, Virginia to serve as Chairman of the
     Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer of the new national bank. The
     proposed  transaction  is  subject to South  Branch  Valley  Bancorp,  Inc.
     obtaining all necessary federal and state regulatory approvals.


     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 hereunto duly authorized.



                                          South Branch Valley Bancorp, Inc.


                                          By /s/ H. Charles Maddy, III
      ------------------------------         ------------------------------
      (Date)                                 H. Charles Maddy, III
                                             Its President & 
                                             Chief Executive Officer