Description

TL 4115 WIDFORD WARE ROAD
(north side)
Widford village

5/6 Widford JMI School

-

GV II

School. 1875-6 probably by G E Pritchett of Bishops Stortford.
Grey brick with dressings of polychrome brickwork, terra-cotta
decorative window arches, and with steep gabled roofs slated in
contrasting bands. A tall Gothick 1 storey Local Board School
with 2 gabled porches and a 2 storey crosswing at W end as the
School House. Asymmetrical design with 2 tall projecting
chimneys on front wall with tumbled offsets and heavy corbelled
caps. 2 large 3-light sash windows flank the western stack and
have panelled terracotta vousiors and keystones over the floral
motif to each. Steep heavy slate sills rest on a continuous red
brick moulded string and there is a chamfered plinth. The string
and plinth continue round the 2 porches flanking the windows.
These have red and white brick flat arches to 3-light low
casement windows with similar slate cills. Heavy plank doors,
with decorative hinge plates with polychrome pointed brick arch
over and bargeboarded gable with pendant and diamond cut ends to
purlins and wall plates punched through. Similar bargeboard
treatment to house and E gable of school decorated with an arrow
wind vane, and having a high window with terra-cotta decorated
arch. The roofs are each decorated with broad bands of green and
grey slates. House gable projects beyond W porch and has the red
brick string at upper floor level stepped up over central
window. 2-light recessed sash windows with slate cills and
depressed pointed polychrome brick arches. Gabled 2 storey
projection on W of house with entrance in the angle under a steep
lean-to bracketed canopy. Rear wall of school has pilaster
toothed eaves courses with 3-light windows. Similar bracketed
slate canopy to school bell on E gable above window. 1 storey
low modern extension to E not of special interest. After the
1870 Education Act the small 1829 school was "altogether
unsuitable" and the Rector Rev. Henry Hamond and an elected local
school board built this school for 110 children in 1875-6. The
"Board School" became a Council School in 1902 (HLHS (1979) 55-
6). A vigorous polychrome brick and slate Gothick Board School
of 1875-6 of special architectural and historic interest. Part
of a group with the older school now the Church Room, in this
part of the village Conservation Area.

Listing NGR: TL4187615842

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26395836

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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