Blandford Forum, or Blandford as it is usually referred to as, is one of the most interesting, unique, and quirky towns in Dorset.
Blandford is so unique that it has its own species of insect, the Blandford fly! You won't be hearing about a Dover maggot or a Birmingham wasp anytime soon so it stands to reason that Blandford should be proud of its local mascot. Unfortunately, the Blandford fly is not exactly cute and definitely not safe. It grows around the sizable weed beds that flank Blandford Forum and, when it finds a tasty human or livestock, it bites the legs and sets a horrific infection into motion that sometimes kills grown men and women. In the 1970s a massive epidemic of Blandford flies attacked over six hundred people a week but recent efforts to curtail these biting beasts have been overwhelmingly successful. Now a visitor to Blandford can walk around the weed beds and see nary a Blandford fly.
One of the most unique things about Blandford, however, is the fact that it is one of the only fully Georgian towns in England. In other words, nearly all of the architecture in the city dates back to the 1700s during the Georgian era. Blandford is of course older than three hundred years but in 1731 a massive fire essentially burnt Blandford to the ground. The townsfolk quickly set about rebuilding the town and, since the architecture of those days was Georgian, nearly every part of the town is designed in this style with the town square displaying the most prominent example of this indelible art style. As if to pay homage to this part of the town's history, Blandford Forum holds a biannual celebration known as the Georgian Fayre. This festival is held in the town square and it regularly attracts thousands and thousands of outsiders who join to celebrate traditional Georgian motifs and mindsets. Cultural presentations are but one of the many attractions, though, and those not interested in history will still find plenty of exciting rides and distractions.
Blandford Forum of course has the amenities that every town needs in order to keep its citizens happy but even then the town puts its own spin on everything. The good thing about Blandford, however, is that they know when to conform. The schools and city halls in Blandford are considered among the best in the county of Dorset and there is no shortage of intellectual pursuits within the town. Blandford Forum is the perfect example of a city that boosts and enhances its home country without having to lose its identity in the process. It is for that reason that we should laud Blandford for what it is, has been, and will always be.
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