Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Town Crier Competition

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Hear ye – Town Criers affiliated to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers gathered in Oxford this Saturday for a competition to celebrate Her Majesty the Queens Diamond Jubilee. 12 Town Criers and their escorts took part in the competition in the historic setting of Oxford Castle. In medieval England, town criers were the chief means of news communication with the townspeople, since many were illiterate. Royal proclamations, local bylaws, market days and adverts were all announced by a crier throughout the centuries. Nowadays many are honorary appointments or employed part time by local councils […]
