Noble College in Machilipatnam was founded by Robert Turlington Noble, a European missionary, in 1843. Noble came to Masulipatnam as a missionary in 1841 and stayed until his death. He and his friend Mr. Sharkey opened a native English school on November 21, 1843. That school became Noble College. This school was termed by Head of the Madras Government "The Cambridge of South India." It is one of the first four educational institutions opened in India by the British Government: Noble College can be considered as one of the first five colleges of India.