Montague Close is a street close to London Bridge.
Montague Close covers the site of the cloisters and conventual buildings of St. Mary’s Priory. The records of the priory have all disappeared and as its property, apart from the church, passed into private hands immediately after the dissolution.
The site of the priory with its houses, gardens and orchards was formally granted to Sir Anthony Browne, in 1544/5.
Within a year or two of the dissolution, complaints were made in the manor court of Southwark that Sir Anthonye had opened a public bowling green in the close and was allowing gambling.
Browne’s eldest son was created Viscount Montague during the reign of Queen Mary. Lady Montague continued to reside in the close after her husband’s death.
In 1625, Viscount Montague and William, Lord Petre, a trustee, sold Montague House "in the close of St. Mary Overies between the middle gate of the close and the outer gate next unto Southwark" to Robert Bromfield and Thomas Overman.
Bromfield already leased a wharf there after 1601. As soon as he got possession of the close he proceeded to build there, putting up in place of "meane Cottages and habitacons for the poorer sort of people that crouded themselves there togeather" houses "fit for men of better ability."
In 1775 there were sixty messuages and four wharves in the close, most of them let from year to year and becoming ruinous. Many of these, including the eight almshouses erected by Mrs Alice Shaw Overman in 1771, were taken down in 1830 in connection with the formation of the approach to new London Bridge.
