Dorset, England

Blandford Forum – The Five Minute Guide

Blandford Forum – The Five Minute Guide
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Blandford in Brief

Blandford Forum is a small historic market town in Dorset in the southwest of England. While it’s sometimes known as Chipping Blandford, it is most commonly known as just Blandford. It’s situated approximately 18 miles (29 km) northeast of the county town of Dorchester. It also lies on the banks of the River Stour, some 55 miles (88 km) south of Bristol and 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Salisbury. The town is particularly noted for its grand Georgian architecture and being home to the Army’s Royal Corps of Signals. In 2013, a local estimate of the town’s population a approximately 10,600.

A Fleeting History

Medieval Origins

Blandford originated as a fording point across the River Stour during Anglo-Saxon times. It was initially known as Blaen-y-ford, but in the Domesday Book of 1086, it was recorded as Blaneford. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word blǣge, or the more recent ‘blay’, which referred to the species of coarse fish found in abundance n the River Stour. Thus, the name Blandford meant to ‘the ford crossing where blay is found’.

By the 13th century, Blandford was a thriving market town. Thus, local monies funded the construction of a masonry-arch bridge across the river. In 1307, Edward I granted Blandford’s lord of the manor, Henry de Lacy, the right to hold a bi-annual fair. However, the ownership of the manor was soon to pass to Henry, Duke of Lancaster. In 1399,  Blandford became part of the Duchy of Lancaster, when the duke ascended the throne as King Henry IV. By that time the town was known as Cheping Blandford. However, around 1540, ‘Forum’, the Latin word for market, was included in the town’s name, seeing it become Blandford Forum.

The Fall and Rise of Blandford

In 1564, Blandford experienced its first known major fire. While the incident devastated many buildings its thought that there were no fatalities. Good news came in 1605 when Blandford’s borough status was confirmed by a royal charter granted by James I. However, a second fire occurred in 1677, which saw more than 30 homes destroyed. Yet another serious fire occurred in July 1713, destroying a part of East Street. The final and most devastating of the town’s fires occurred in June 1731. It saw almost the whole of Blandford razed to the ground. Only a handful of buildings were spared, most notably the almshouses on Salisbury Street and the ‘Old House’.

Following the ‘Great Fire’ of 1731, plans were soon underway to rebuild Blandford. King George II gave £1000 of his own money towards the town’s rebuild fund, which encouraged others to contribute from across the country. Local residents, John and William Bastard, eminent architects of the time, were responsible for the design and rebuild of the town. Such large scale construction of a town in Britain at that time was a unique event. As a result, Blandford today enjoys a very distinctive Georgian character and vibe that is difficult to find anywhere else.

The Industrial Revolution

Circa 1760, the reconstruction of Blandford was more or less complete, just as Britain’s Industrial Revolution got underway. Once again the town began to prosper, which saw button making, wool spinning and glove manufacture become major industries. The advent of coach travel saw the building of many inns in the area. The town’s brewing industry also expanded to cope with growing demand from the new trade.

In 1860, the railway came to the town when Blandford was made a stop on the new Dorset Central Railway. In 1863, the train station was relocated on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, which saw the line run all the way from Bournemouth to Bath. The station remained open until March 1966, when the entire line was then closed to passengers. Goods traffic continued for a further three years, but the station was fully closed in 1969.

Blandford

North Dorset Trailway runs along the former railway line. Photo credit: Joe Dunckley/Shutterstock.com

Blandford in the Modern Era

Blandford, like many towns and cities up and down the country, has seen its fair share of building activity in recent years. However, most of this new construction work has taken place around its outskirts, meaning that its core of original Georgian buildings has remained almost completely intact. The spacious 18th-century planning has resulted in a large open-air marketplace where markets are still held every Thursday and Saturday. The Market Place is also the venue for a farmers’ market, which is held on the second Friday of every month.

Blandford’s economy is now largely based on the service sector, light industry and agriculture, which provides around 4,000 local jobs. The town’s major employers include Dorset County Council, the NHS, the Environment Agency and Blandford Camp (British Army). The biggest event in the Blandford calendar is the annual 5-day long ‘Great Dorset Steam Fair’ which takes place over the August bank holiday. It’s reputed to be the largest of such events in the country. With enthusiasts setting up camp in nearby fields, the Fair has been known to attract up to 200,000 visitors.

The Great Dorset Steam Fair is held at Blandford. Photo credit: Andrew Harker/Shutterstock.com

Blandford Forum is twinned with Mortain in Normandy, France and Preetz in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Getting to Blandford

Blandford does not have a train service, the nearest railway station is at Poole, some 15 miles (24 km) away. There is a regular train service that operates from London’s Waterloo to Dorset.

The easiest way to get to Blandford is by car. Blandford lies at the junction of the A350 and A354 trunk roads, which form the town’s eastern bypass. The main road through the town is the B3082, which connects Blandford Forum to Wimborne Minster. For most drivers, the quickest route to Blandford will be via the M27 motorway which becomes the A31 at Cadnam, some 33 miles (53 km) away.

The nearest airport to Blandford is Bournemouth which is 15 miles (24 km) away. The nearest large international airport is Bristol 44 miles (70 km) away.

A Few Notable Residents

  • William Wake (1657–1737) was a former Archbishop of Canterbury who served in the post from 1716 until his death in 1737.
  • Frederick Abberline (1843–1929) was the Chief Inspector of the London Metropolitan Police during the hunt for Jack the Ripper. He was born in Blandford in 1843.
  • Sir Roy Welensky (1907–1991) was the chief architect behind the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He served as Prime Minister of the ill-fated state from 1956 until 1963. He lived in Blandford for the last decade of his life, i.e. from 1981 to 1991.

Sport in Blandford

Blandford United FC currently (2021) play in the Dorset Premier League. Nicknamed ‘The Royals’ they play home games at Blandford Recreation Ground. If you want to know a bit more about the team check out our club guide.

Blandford Cricket Club run several men’s teams, a ladies team, and a number of junior teams, all of which compete in local Dorset cricket leagues.

Blandford RFC first XV play in the Dorset & Wilts League 1 South. However, they also run a number of other teams, including Junior and Mini rugby teams. Home games are played at the Larkmead pitches.

Things to do in Blandford

For such a small town, quite surprisingly, there are quite a number of things to see and do in or around Blandford. Here are a few of the main attractions:

  • Royal Signals Museum – is a military museum housed at Blandford Camp, situated a couple of miles northwest of the town. It displays exhibits that date back to the Napoleonic Wars, telling the full history of the Army’s Royal Signals Regiment.
  • Blandford Fashion Museum – is housed a fine Georgian townhouse right in the centre of the town. The Museum exhibits historical costumes and accessories from the 250-year period between the 1730s and 1970s.
  • Blandford Town Museum – though small in stature, holds a wealth of artefacts and archives from the Prehistoric era to the present day. Opening times are 10 am – 4 pm Mon to Sat & 11 am – 3 pm Sun.
  • St Peter and St Paul’s Church – is right in the centre of the town. The church was built in the period immediately after the ‘Great Fire’ of 1731 destroyed the town. The Fire Monument erected in 1760 to mark the completion of the town’s rebuild is located in front of the church.
  • Hall & Woodhouse Brewery – run a 2-hour brewery tour at 11 am on Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri & Sat. Afterwards, you can relax in the bar/diner and/or visit the onsite shop for a range of bottled beers and the usual gifts & mementoes. Other tours times can be prearranged for small parties.
  • Sunny Republic Brewing Company – is a microbrewery housed in a refurbished barn at Winterborne about 6 miles from Blandford. They offer a short tour of the brewery with beer tasting at the end. There’s obviously the obligatory shop from which you can order your carryout.
  • Gorcombe Extreme Sports – offers thrill-seekers the chance to partake in an adrenaline-charged outdoor quad-bike experience. There are 10 different activities carried out in a relaxed but safe environment.
  • North Dorset Trailway – is a 14 mile (22 km) walking, cycling and bridle route that runs from Sturminster Newton to Spetisbury, which passes through Blandford.
St Peter & St Paul's Church Blandford

St Peter & St Paul’s Church in the centre of Blandford. Photo credit: Joe Dunckley/Shutterstock.com

Where to Stay?

Blandford and the surrounding area offers a wide choice of accommodation. You’ll find top-end stylish country hotels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, inns, holiday & self-catering lets, camping and glamping, all within the general area. Thus, with such a broad array of accommodation on offer, there should be something to suit just about everyone’s budget.

Thinking of Moving Here?

Properties in Blandford have achieved an overall average sale price of around £245,000 over the last year. The majority of those sales were terraced properties, which sold for an average price of £233,600. Detached properties sold for an average of around £339,000, with semi-detached properties fetching £113,000. Overall, the sold price of property in Blandford over the last year was 4% up on the previous year.

 

Header Image Credit: Ben Molyneux/Shutterstock.com

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