Widford Jmi School

TL 4115 WIDFORD WARE ROAD (north side) Widford village

5/6 Widford JMI School

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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