Aldworth house is named after the founder of Reading Blue Coat School, Richard Aldworth of Stanlake Park. In 1646, at the height of the English Civil War, the wealthy London merchant left the Corporation of Reading the sum of £4,000. The money was to be used for "the education and
upbringing of twenty poor male children, being the children of honest, religious poor men in the town of Reading."
From this sum of money and instructions Aldworth left, the Aldworth's Hospital charity school was created. Now better known to us as the Reading Blue Coat School, we can see from simple history that Aldworth is quite clearly the most important house to the school.