14th October 2023 in Rye, East Sussex
The 70th National Town Criers’ Championship
The Gun Gardens, Rye, East Sussex
The 70th National Town Criers’ Championship comes to its new location of Rye on Saturday 14th October 2023.
Rye’s own Town Crier Paul Goring, hosts Criers from across the country taking part in this spectacular competition.
2023 Results
2023 National Town Criers’ Champion
Kurt De Smet Oudenaarde, Belgium
Runners Up
Alistair Chisholm, Dorchester, Dorset and
John Griffiths, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Best Dressed Town Crier
John Griffiths, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Best Dressed Consort
Karoline De Smet
Judges Favourite Cry
Jon Borthwick Peacehaven, Sussex
Participants
Name Representing
Elizabeth Anderson-Watson Barnoldswick, Lancashire
Carole Williams Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Jane Smith Bognor Regis, Sussex
Mark Wylie Calne, Wiltshire
Alistair Chisholm Dorchester, Dorset
Christian Ashdown Haslemere, Surrey
Jon Borthwick Lewes, Sussex
Steven Holt Morley, West Yorkshire
Paul Gough Nuneaton & Bedworth, Warwickshire
Kurt de Smet Oudenaarde, Belgium
Faye Thompson Petersfield, Hampshire
Peter White Seaford, Sussex
John Griffiths Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Andrew Fleming Swanage, Dorset
Iain Mitchell West Moors, Dorset
The order of the day
10.00: Assemble
All will assemble at Rye Town Hall:
Market St, Rye TN31 7LA
10.30: Introduction
Rye Town Crier Paul Goring will introduce the event. He will then give a "benchmark cry", which is a Cry against which those competing will be judged against. (As the host crier, he is not allowed to compete.)
10.30 - 12.30: Round One
The "Home Cry" Round will be where Criers give a cry promoting the towns they represent.
12.30: Lunch
A bagpiper will escort the Criers to lunch.
14.00: Round Two
Round Two will be a Themed Cry - the theme for this year is "seventy" (as this is the 70th anniversary of the competition). Criers may Cry on any subject they wish, as long as it references "seventy".
16.00 (Approximately): Results
Once all Criers have completed Round Two, judges will adjourn to add up the results and declare the winners. We anticipate the Results will be announced at approximately 4pm.
The titles being awarded
The titles that are being competed for are:
National Town Crier Champion
1st, 2nd & 3rd positions based on the criteria:
Volume
Clarity (how clearly / distinctly the cry came across overall)
Diction (how well the crier enunciates his/her words)
Inflection (how much expression/feeling the crier puts into the cry, rather than a monotone)
Each Cry should be no more than 120 words long, including 3 x "Oyez!" and "God Save The King!", and must contain no swear words or offensive terms, and must not be political.
Best Dressed Crier
Best Dressed Consort
Spouse accompanying Crier, in costume.
The Judges' Choice Trophy
This is for a performance which may not have won on technical points, but was the most entertaining or impressive.