Blandford Forum is the most complete Georgian country town in England, and largely by accident. A fire in 1731 destroyed most of it, and the local architect-builders John and William Bastard rebuilt the centre over the following decade, from the Market Place and parish church to the town hall. It stands on the River Stour much as they left it. The nearest station is well away at Holton Heath, so most people arrive by road.
Photo Charlotte Lacey-Clarke / Unsplash
