Blandford hotels and self catering cottage accommodation in Blandford

Dorset » Blandford accommodation

A thriving market town in the late Middle Ages due to its key location, Blandford Forum lies right at the crossroads of the Salisbury-Dorchester and Poole-Shaftesbury main roads, by the River Stour. In the early 17th century, the town acquired borough status and became a polling place for the county elections. Only two buildings remain from this period: the Ryves Almshouses and the Old House, since a fire devastated the whole town in the 18th century. These are now the oldest buildings.

Nowadays, the town exhibits some fine architecture from Georgian times, being rebuilt after a second fire in 1731. The town centre, also from this period, is mostly the work of the Bastard brothers, two famous architects. Some decades after the fire, the nearby town of Milton Abbas was demolished by the Earl of Dorchester, and the railway arrived at Blandford Forum, both events bringing great prosperity to the town.

A number of restaurants, shops and inns can be found around the town, many of them in striking Georgian buildings. Apart from a local history museum, you’ll also find the Royal Signals museum, at nearby Blandford Army Camp, and a historical costumes museum, the Cavalcade of Costume, which also contains a nice tea room.

The Hall & Woodhouse Visitor Centre features a one of a kind display of brewing artefacts, while Chettle House, not far from town, offers a beautiful Queen Anne style manor house surrounded by amazing gardens. Every September, the locally held Great Dorset Steam Fair gathers a multitude of steam tractors.