The 18th-century structure, which was the meeting place of Blandford Forum Borough Council, is a Grade I listed building.

[4] A major fire destroyed the greater part of Blandford, including the old town hall, on 4 June 1731.

[5] The local architects and civic leaders, John and William Bastard, decided to take the opportunity to remodel the Market Place, to replace the town hall and the grammar school and to rebuild the Church of St Peter and St Paul.

[1] The town became a municipal borough in 1835[9] and the building was extended to the rear, to create a long and narrow corn exchange which featured unusual elliptical roof trusses, to a design by James B.

However, it ceased to be the local seat of government after the enlarged North Dorset District Council was formed in 1974.