One of the few pre-fire buildings to survive the 1731 blaze, the Ryves Almshouse is a late 17th-century building that stands as a reminder of what Blandford looked like before the Bastard brothers got to work. Now repurposed as a pub and gathering space, it offers a direct contrast to the Georgian uniformity of the surrounding streets. Badger ales on tap, a comfortable interior, and a good garden for summer afternoons. The fact that it survived the fire that destroyed the rest of the town gives it a particular historical interest.