# Blandford Forum

Blandford Forum is a town in Dorset. The town is noted for its Georgian architecture

## Understand

Blandford Forum suffered a major fire in 1731 which destroyed most of the town leaving 480 families homeless. The town was rebuilt in the next ten years in a grand Georgian style to the designs of local architect brothers John and William Bastard.
The town has a population of 10,400 (2021). A major local employer is the army which has a camp (opened in 1724) two miles outside the town.

## Get in

There is no train service to Blandford Forum. The nearest main line station is at Salisbury or Wimborne Minster. The town is 15 miles (24 km) from Poole railway station and 15 miles (24 km) miles from Bournemouth Airport. In order to reach the town by public transport, it is possible to take the X8 service from Poole (hourly, takes 40 minutes), the 20 service from Salisbury (four trips per day, takes 52 minutes), the X10 from Yeovil (every two hours, 105 minutes), or the X12 from Weymouth (every two hours, 70 minutes).

## Get around

Blandford Forum is a small town, and so sees a very limited bus service (only one route runs around the town every half hour). However, the town is small enough for walking to be convenient. There are also local taxi firms.

## See

* 50.868-2.1251 Royal Signals Museum, Blandford Camp, DT11 8RH, ☏ +44 1258 482248. All year: M-F 10AM-5PM; Feb-Oct: also on Sa Su 10AM-4PM. Regimental museum with interactive displays detailing history of military communications and codes. The museum is inside an army camp and photo ID (passport etc) is required for entry. £8. (updated Jan 2018)
* 50.85563-2.163952 Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum DT11 7HQ, ☏ +44 1258 450388. Apr-Oct: M Tu Th F Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-3PM. Museum of town history with a model railway and Victorian child's playroom. free. (updated Jan 2018)
* 50.857-2.164573 Blandford Fashion Museum, Lime Tree House, The Plocks DT11 7AA, ☏ +44 1258 453006. Mid-Feb - mid-Nov: M Th-Sa 10AM-4PM (to 5PM Apr-Sep). Ten-room museum of fashion history covering the period from 1740 to 1970. Adults £5.50, children under 16 free. (updated Jan 2018)
* 50.85617-2.163794 Church of St Peter and St Paul, Blandford Parish Church, Market Place DT11 7AD. Parish church designed and built by John and William Bastard between 1733 and 1739. The church has a particularly fine interior. Coffee is served in the church every Saturday 10AM-noon. (updated Aug 2020)

## Do

* North Dorset Trailway is a 14-mile walking and cycling path along the trackbed of a former railway. It runs from Sturminster Newton southeast to Shillingstone, Blandford Forum and Spetisbury. Shillingford's old railway station has been restored.
* Great Dorset Steam Fair is held at Tarrant Hinton, five miles along A354 towards Salisbury. It's held from the Thursday before the August Bank Holiday, with the next on 25-29 Aug 2022.

## Eat

There is a variety of restaurants and fast food in Blandford Forum. Try:
* 50.856033-2.1658891 Simla Tandoori, 12 West Street, ☏ +44 1258 452096, +44 1258 480330. Noon-2:30PM, 6PM-11:30PM (F Sa open until midnight).
Out of town
* 50.978038-1.9553842 Lay-by food van, A354 (where the Dorset-Hampshire border signs are on the road to Salisbury). Great road-side, cooked to order, bacon, egg and sausage sandwiches. (updated Apr 2016)

## Sleep

* 50.8557-2.166841 Crown Hotel, West Street DT11 7AJ, ☏ +44 1258 456626, crownhotel.reception@hall-woodhouse.co.uk. Town centre Georgian inn with rooms, pleasant accommodation and dining. B&B double £100. (updated Jul 2020)
* 50.83452-2.1408472 Charlton Inn, Bournemouth Rd, Charlton Marshall DT11 9NH (2 miles south of Blandford Forum located on the main A350), ☏ +44 1258 453160. (updated May 2020)
* 50.88319-2.1341423 The Anvil Inn, Salisbury Road, Pimperne DT11 8UQ (A354 between Blandford and Salisbury), ☏ +44 1258 451999, info@anvilpimperne.co.uk. A beautiful 17th-century country pub offering fine Dorset food and hospitality. (updated May 2020)
* 50.905-2.3264 Plumber Manor, Sturminster Newton DT10 2AF, ☏ +44 1258 472507. Upscale country hotel in a mansion built early 1600s and still run by the same family. Open Mar-Jan. B&B double from £160. (updated Jun 2020)
* 50.921-2.0725 Castleman, Chettle DT11 8DB (Off A354), ☏ +44 1258 830096. Small comfy country house hotel, decor in wide range of historic styles. Assistance dogs only. Closed in Feb. B&B double £120. (updated Jul 2020)

## Connect

As of April 2022, Blandford Forum has 5G from EE, 4G from O2 and Vodafone, but only a basic mobile signal from Three.

## Go next

* Wimborne Minster is a charming town nearby.
* Shaftesbury
* Wareham