Montagu House (sometimes also spelt Montague) was a prominent residence situated near to the southwest corner of

Greenwich Park Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south-east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed (in 1433), it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritag ...

(today the junction of Charlton Way and Chesterfield Walk), overlooking the common at Blackheath in what is today southeast London. Adjacent to the

Ranger's House Ranger's House is a medium-sized red brick Georgian mansion in the Palladian style, adjacent to Greenwich Park in the south east of London. It is situated in Blackheath and backs directly onto Greenwich Park. Previously known as Chesterfield ...

, it was the royal residence of

Caroline of Brunswick Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Caroline Amelia Elizabeth; 17 May 1768 – 7 August 1821) was Queen of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 29 January 1820 until her death in 1821, being the estranged wife of King George IV. She was Pri ...

before being demolished in 1815.

History

The house was built as a country residence for

Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu (24 December 1638 – 9 March 1709) was an English courtier and diplomat. Background Ralph Montagu was the second son of Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton (1616–1684), and Anne Winwood, daught ...

in the late 17th century. Two adjacent buildings, Montagu House and Park Corner House, were constructed, with the latter being occupied for a time by a George Moult (it was briefly known as 'Mole's Corner') and the subject of a drawing (c. 1781) by

Paul Sandby Paul Sandby (1731 – 7 November 1809) was an English map-maker turned landscape painter in watercolours, who, along with his older brother Thomas, became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Life and work Sandby was ...

now held by the British Museum. The former slave and (later) writer,

Ignatius Sancho Charles Ignatius Sancho ( – 14 December 1780) was a British abolitionist, writer and composer. Born on a slave ship in the Atlantic, Sancho was sold into slavery in the Spanish colony of New Granada. After his parents died, Sancho's owne ...

, was for two years (1749 to 1751) butler to the family of

John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, (1690 – 5 July 1749), styled Viscount Monthermer until 1705 and Marquess of Monthermer between 1705 and 1709, was a British peer. Life Montagu was an owner of a coal mine. Montagu went on the grand tour w ...

at Montagu House, returning to the family's service in 1766 as valet to the duke's son-in-law. Leased from the Duchess of Buccleuch, Montagu House later became the residence of the estranged wife of the Prince Regent (later King

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

lived in the house from 1799 to 1812 (other sources suggest 1797 or 1798 to 1814) after she had given birth to Princess Charlotte, who lived with a governess at the nearby mansion of the Duchess of Brunswick (today the

). A contemporary account by a Miss Aikin described Montagu House: :"The princess's villa at Blackheath is an incongruous piece of patchwork; it may dazzle for a moment when lighted up at night, but it is all glitter, and glare, and trick; everything is tinsel and trumpery about it; it is altogether like a bad dream."

The Delicate Investigation

Montagu House was the location of alleged affairs between Queen Caroline and various lovers, investigated as part of " The Delicate Investigation" in 1806 and which heard testimony from neighbours in Greenwich, Major-General Sir John Douglas and his wife Charlotte. Lady Douglas became Caroline's companion, living for a time at Montagu House before their friendship broke down, and rumours about scandalous events at the house began to circulate; Lady Douglas alleged that Caroline had admitted to having had an illegitimate child, William Austin. A secretive investigation cleared Caroline of adultery (and poured doubt on the Douglas testimonies) but questioned other aspects of Caroline's behaviour. However, public sympathy tended to side with Caroline; an 1813 cartoon following the "Delicate Investigation" showed the ridiculed Sir John and Lady Douglas being led to a

pillory The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the sto ...

erected outside Montagu House. All the Montagu House buildings were demolished in 1815 (the site is now occupied by the Chesterfield Walk tennis courts). A rear wall, now part of the Park wall, survives as does, inside the Park, a plunge bath called 'Queen Caroline's bath', previously situated in an area enclosed by Caroline when she created a lawn and pleasure ground after being appointed Ranger of Greenwich Park in 1806. Plaques commemorating Caroline and Sancho are set in the wall nearby. File:Plaque to Ignatius Sancho, site of Montagu House.jpg, Plaque to Ignatius Sancho File:Montagu House descriptive notice.jpg, Montagu House description File:Caroline of Brunswick plaque, Greenwich Park.jpg, Plaque to Queen Caroline File:Queen Caroline's Bath, Greenwich Park.jpg, Queen Caroline's Bath File:Site of Montagu House.jpg, Site of Montagu House (

in background)

References

{{Royal palaces in the United Kingdom 17th-century establishments in England Houses completed in the 17th century 1815 disestablishments in England Buildings and structures demolished in 1815 Houses in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Royal buildings in London Royal residences in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Former buildings and structures in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Caroline of Brunswick