In 1840 Mrs Esther Greenwood, of Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, bought and converted four terraced houses in Little Randolph Street into 12 almshouses for elderly poor women of 'good character'.

At some time in the second half of the 19th century, Little Randolph Street was renamed Rousden Street.

The almshouses were managed by the Greenwood's Almshouses Trust, which was registered as a charity in 1963. Its purposes were described as: "For the benefit of the residents of the almshouses of the charity or any of them in such manner as the trustees think fit from time to time. The residents shall be poor women of not less than 60 years of age who are members of the Church of England: provided that preference shall be given to women qualified as aforesaid who are inhabitants of Camden Town or Kentish Town."

In 1974 the almshouses were listed Grade II.

The buildings were refurbished in the mid 1980s.

In 2004 Harrison Housing took over management of the almshouses, initially on behalf of the Leonard Hackett Memorial Trust. At that time the buildings were severely run down and the Greenwood's Almshouses Trust in financial difficulties (it was removed from the charity register in 2007, having ceased to exist).

In 2007 the almshouses were converted into six one-bedroom dwellings for single women living in Camden and of limited financial means.

Current status