Together with women's rights campaigner Barbara Bodichon, Emily Davies planned a college where women would follow the same syllabus as men. At the time there were colleges for women but they studied things like needlework - Davies wanted them to learn classics and maths.
Looking for somewhere between London and Cambridge, a house came up in Hitchin. It was on a train line, so tutors could travel easily to it from both cities but, crucially, it was also far enough away from each of them.
There was huge opposition; at the time it was believed too much education sent a woman mad. It was frowned upon to send your daughter to be educated, as men didn't want to find wives who knew more than they did.
Davies felt if they were studying near men it would distract ladies from learning.
Established by Emily Davies in 1869, Benslow House in Hitchin was England's first residential women's college offering a degree-level education.
The artistic director of the town's Market Theatre, Kirk Foster, is bringing the little-known story to life in the form of a play, Benslow, which is currently showing at Hitchin's Market Theatre.
Every female educated today owes a big thank-you to Emily Davies.
The play will make people aware of this woman's wonderful work in a humorous and factual way."
The play centres on three of the first students, Sarah Woodhead, Rachel Cook and Louisa Lumsden, known as the Girton pioneers, and their experiences at the college.
The three became the first women to take the exams at Cambridge that were sat by men.
"Once these girls passed, and proved they could do it, the floodgates opened and all around the country colleges started to be set up," said Mr Foster.
Even though they were still not awarded degrees - women were not given these at Cambridge until 1948 - what they and Davies achieved in this corner of the county was hugely significant.
'Amazing women'
The three went on to teach and set up girls' schools all over the country.
"They were amazing women," said Val Campion, author of Pioneering Women, a resource for Mr Foster's research.
She added: "They did very unusual stuff for women at that time and it all started in Hitchin."
Ms Campion said the town had always been proud of its links with the college, despite the fact they were poorly documented.
"Historical accounts say it started in Hitchin but there is no detail of the four years it was here," she said. It is very gratifying the information in my book has been used in a play so more people will know about it."
Mr Foster said the college moved after a decision was taken that it "couldn't stay isolated".
Land was acquired three miles outside Cambridge and what became known as Girton College opened there in October 1873.
Benslow runs on various dates until 27 July.
