The Montague Family connection

The Montague family lived at Boveney Court from at least the 15^th century to the early 18^th century and were substantial landowners and tenants in both Boveney and Dorney. One of them, the Reverend Lawrence Montague was the Vicar of Dorney from 6^th March 1572. His son, Richard Montague, born in Dorney Vicarage round about the year 1578, educated at King’s College, Cambridge, became Dean of Hereford in 1616 and then Canon of St George’s Windsor. His next step was Bishop of Chichester, whence he translated to Norwich in 1638. He died in 1641 and was buried in Norwich Cathedral.

Peter Montague was born at Boveney in 1603. In 1685 Margaret Montague, daughter of Robert and Susanna Montague of Boveney, parish of Burnham, Co Buckinghamshire, married John Grover of Whelpley Hill, Chesham and Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire. She conveyed the Boveney estate in fee to intended first husband John Grover as part of the marriage settlement. John Grover died 1690. Margaret then married William Lovett. John and Margaret's son William Grover inherited Boveney Court and it stayed in the Grover family for 2 more generations.

Peter Montague was the first Montague immigrant to settle in the New World, arriving in Jamestowne Colony, Nov 1621, on the ship Sir Charles. Through his six children, he is responsible for at least ten thousand descendants as of this date. During his lifetime he was a prominent landowner south of the James River (Nansemond and Isle of Wight Counties) and Middlesex County (south bank of Rappahannock River). He represented the County of Lancaster in the Assembly (House of Burgesses) from 1651 to 1658. He had become a large land owner and a leading citizen of the Colony, a man of intelligence, moral worth, and influence.