Pictures of Blandford Forum

a Historic Market Town in the county of Dorset

Take a picture tour of Blandford Forum

Blandford Forum Pictures Blandford Forum Hotels Submit a history of Blandford Forum Blandford Forum Attractions Nearby Towns Submit Pictures Blandford Forum Map Add to favourites

About Blandford Forum

Utterly delightful, a town of matchless elegance, of quintessentially English beauty, are but a few of the attributes to the fine Market town on the River Stour. The town of Blandford Forum has a history of destruction by fire and sadly the town has few antiquities left. The fire of 1731 raised most of the town to the ground, little was saved and from a town with in excess of 500 buildings, only a handful remained including the almshouses and the Old House.

Following the fire the town was reconstructed in classical Georgian style in accordance to designs by the brothers, John and William Bastard, local architects of the day. They too, were responsible for one of the finest provincial churches of the period, the church of St.Peter and St.Paul. The church has a magnificent square tower, and the interior has Ionic columns to the nave. The church was altered and added to in the early 19th-century and in 1893 a chancel was built. The brothers also built the very fine town hall.

Of the buildings still to be seen from earlier times are Dale House, which dates 1689, the beautiful old Almshouses of 1682, and Old House which was built early in the 18th-century.

Thomas Hardy famously commemorated Blandford as 'Shottesford Forum' in his Wessex novels and in 1590, Edmund Spenser mentioned the town in 'The Faerie Queene' not many town's get a finer accolade.

The lands surrounding the town are watered by the River Stour, thus Blandford is endowed with rich grazing lands for cattle and sheep. In the sleepy lanes of this beautiful area you will find handsome houses and cottages, some with dormer windows peering from beneath a thickly thatched roof. The town is a picture of quiet contentment and of understated English elegance at it's best.
It is deserving of high praise and well worth a visit.

Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.

Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Blandford Forum

Badbury Rings	(5.6 miles, 8.9 km, direction SE)	Pictures
White Mill	(6.0 miles, 9.6 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Kingston Lacy	(6.9 miles, 11.0 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Horton Tower	(9.3 miles, 15.0 km, direction E)	Pictures
Athelhampton House	(10.2 miles, 16.4 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Clouds Hill	(10.3 miles, 16.6 km, direction S)	Pictures
Upton House & Country Park	(10.9 miles, 17.6 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre	(11.2 miles, 18.0 km, direction S)	Pictures
Stapehill Abbey	(11.4 miles, 18.3 km, direction E)	Pictures
Arne RSPB Reserve	(12.7 miles, 20.5 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Old Wardour Castle	(12.9 miles, 20.8 km, direction N)	Pictures
Hardy's Cottage	(13.1 miles, 21.0 km, direction SW)	Pictures
The Cerne Giant	(13.5 miles, 21.8 km, direction W)	Pictures
Moors Valley Country Park & Forest	(14.0 miles, 22.5 km, direction E)	Pictures
The Blue Pool	(14.4 miles, 23.2 km, direction S)	Pictures

All attractions in Blandford Forum
All attractions in Dorset
Complete A to Z of attractions in England

Recommended towns near Blandford Forum

Bryanston, in the county of Dorset (0.6 miles, 0.9 km)
The town was initially the town of Brian de Lisle, a Baron at the court of King John.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Shroton, in the county of Dorset (4.0 miles, 6.4 km, direction N)
Interestingly, this enchanting village was the scene of warfare as General Wolfe trained his troops before his assult on Quebec in the mid 18th-century.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Milton Abbas, a Picturesque Village in the county of Dorset (5.2 miles, 8.4 km, direction SW)
Milton Abbas is a superb thatched village which has the distinction of being the first planned village of its kind in England.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Sturminster Marshall, a Picturesque Village in the county of Dorset (5.7 miles, 9.2 km, direction SE)
Sturminster Marshall is famous for its beautiful White Corn Mill and for the magnificent eight arched bridge spanning the River Stour.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Wimborne Minster, a Historic Market Town in the county of Dorset (9.1 miles, 14.6 km, direction SE)
Wimborne Minster is a magnificent Georgian town in the valley of the delightful River Stour.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Briantspuddle, a Picturesque Village in the county of Dorset (9.2 miles, 14.8 km, direction SW)
This remarkable village owes much to the agricultural experiment carried out by Sir Ernest Debenham during the years between the two World Wars.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Sixpenny Handley, in the county of Dorset (9.8 miles, 15.8 km, direction NE)
Sixpenny Handley is set in the lovely countryside of Cranbourne Chase.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Shaftesbury, a Historic Market Town in the county of Dorset (10.2 miles, 16.5 km, direction N)
Shaftsbury is Dorset's only hill-top town, with its long history and good views it is particularly attractive to tourists.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Athelhampton, in the county of Dorset (10.4 miles, 16.7 km, direction SW)
Athelhampton lies close to the little River Piddle which almost entirely encircles Athelhampton House which was built in the 15th-century by Sir William Martyn who was granted the lands and a license to build upon them by King Henry VII in the year 1483.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Stapehill, in the county of Dorset (11.5 miles, 18.5 km, direction E)
Stapehill, in the beautiful Dorset countryside is best known for its romantic Abbey gardens which are an absolute joy for every visitor including gardening enthusiasts.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Ferndown, in the county of Dorset (12.3 miles, 19.8 km, direction E)
This town lies amidst noted countryside between Wimborne Minster and Ringwood.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Poole, in the county of Dorset (12.5 miles, 20.2 km, direction SE)
Three miles of golden beaches extending from Sandbanks to Brankesome Dene Chine and on towards Bournemouth, ensure an enjoyable time for families and sun-worshippers alike.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Higher Bockhampton, in the county of Dorset (13.0 miles, 21.0 km, direction SW)
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Gillingham, a Historic Market Town in the county of Dorset (13.3 miles, 21.3 km, direction N)
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Minterne Magna, in the county of Dorset (13.9 miles, 22.4 km, direction W)
Info | Pictures | Hotels

All towns in Dorset
Complete A to Z of towns in England

Nearby travel help

Holton Heath Station	(10.7 miles, 17.3 km, direction S)
Hamworthy Station	(11.2 miles, 18.1 km, direction SE)
Bournemouth Airport	(15.8 miles, 25.4 km, direction E)
M27 Junction 1	(25.7 miles, 41.3 km, direction E)
M27 Junction 2	(28.6 miles, 46.0 km, direction E)
Southampton Airport	(36.3 miles, 58.5 km, direction E)
Blandford Forum to London	(99.5 miles, 160.1 km, direction NE)

Hotels & Accommodation in Blandford Forum

Hotel Name	Approximate distance from Blandford Forum center
The Anvil Inn	(1.2 miles, 1.9 km, direction NE)
The Talbot	(5.0 miles, 8.0 km, direction N)
Horton Inn	(8.5 miles, 13.7 km, direction E)
King's Head Hotel	(8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction SE)
Best Western The Royal Chase Hotel	(10.0 miles, 16.1 km, direction N)
Premier Travel Inn Poole North	(10.8 miles, 17.4 km, direction SE)
Yellowham Farmhouse	(12.4 miles, 20.0 km, direction SW)
Arndale Court Hotel	(12.5 miles, 20.2 km, direction SE)
Bridge House Hotel	(12.7 miles, 20.5 km, direction SE)
The Best Western Mansion House	(12.7 miles, 20.5 km, direction SE)
All hotels in Blandford Forum