Bishop's College one of the oldest girls’ schools in Sri Lanka was established in 1857.  It was closed down twice, until it was officially re-established in 1875.

The Bishop at the time Bishop James Chapman and his wife Frances (daughter of the Headmaster of Eton College, UK) felt that girls needed an education too, since S. Thomas' had begun for the education of boys. The school which was started in their residence in Mutwal to fulfill this need, was named Bishopsgate School.  Subsequently this was shut down following the death of Mrs. Long, the Principal. The school which reopened for the second time was relocated to the residence of Bishop Copleston in Darley Road.

The instability created by the frequent change of Principals was steadied by the intervention at the invitation of the Bishop, of the sisters of St. Margaret’s. The school began to flourish under the influence of the sisters, starting with Sister Angela. 13 Principals were nuns of the order of St. Margaret's, Polwatte. Their Mother House was in East Grinstead, UK.

In 1892 Bishop Copleston moved the school to a new location at Boyd Place.  With the move came a change of name to Bishop's College.  In 1929 a magnificent building on Turret Road called Elscourt was gifted to the school by Mrs. Maud Peiris. Due to the distance to the main school this edifice was sold and a building closer to the school was purchased. At present the school still stands at this location.