They were founded by Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester, in 1661 (during the reign of Charles II) to house ten unmarried women aged over 50.

They were rebuilt in 1851 in The Vineyard, Richmond next to Queen Elizabeth's Almshouses and the front arch and gateway from the previous site are believed to have been incorporated in the rebuilding.

[3] The new site was provided by James Ewing, owner of the neighbouring Downe House, Richmond Hill.

He also paid for their rebuilding,[4] in white brick to a Jacobean design by Thomas Little,[5] receiving the old almshouse site in exchange.

[4] Numbers 8, 9 and 10 were rebuilt in 1949 after Second World War bomb damage.