Kingston Maurward College occupies Kingston Maurward House which was built between 1717 and 1720 for George Pitt. The Pitt family lived in the house for 125 years in total and during their time made many alterations including combining a number of canals to make a lake with islands on which Pitt planted trees. He also built a Summer House in the form of a Grecian Temple at the side of the lake. In 1845 the house and estate was sold for £15,000 and then consisted of 1,100 acres. Many years later and, after many other owners, Dorset County Council inspected the house as a possible site for a Farm Institute and it was purchased for £24,000. Much of the house at that time was in a semi-derelict condition although structurally sound. Kingston Maurward House then became The Dorset Farm Institute and the first agricultural students started arriving in 1949 and were housed in the dormitories on the first floor. The first Principal was R. Kenney from 1948–1962. H. E. Fieldsend was the second Principal from 1971–1990 followed by Robin Bowers who retired in 1998. The paintings in the collection are portraits of these principals by Michael John Churchill Bowman.