Dulwich College was founded in 1619 by the Elizabethan actor, Edward Alleyn. These are its original buildings. They were built to educate and house 12 poor children. Designed and built by John Benson, they have been considerably altered over the centuries, with only three sides of the original enclosed quadrangle remaining; the tower and the east side rebuilt; and the whole thing covered in stucco. Dulwich College itself moved from this site to College Road in 1870.