Hew Maitland Wardrop was the second son of architect James Maitland Wardrop. He trained under his father, then joined the practice of George Edmund Street in London.
Wardrop took over at the family firm after his father's death on 27 June 1882. During the 1880s he worked increasingly in the Arts and Crafts style. At some point, he changed his middle name to Montgomerie.
Wardrop died suddenly of appendicitis on 4 November 1887 while working at Udny Castle, Aberdeenshire.