THIS IS A "NOT FOR PROFIT SITE"- IT IS DONE OUT OF A PERSONAL LOVE FOR THIS PART OF THE UK.
TOUR DEVON IS THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT NORTH DEVON, IT'S TOWNS AND VILLAGES, COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE, SHOPS AND SERVICES. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM YOU, THE VISITOR, ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED.
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED NOW TO KEEP THIS SITE GOING
(a brief history)
A town crier is a person who is employed by a town council
to make public announcements in the streets.
They usually dress elaborately—by tradition in a red
and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and a tricorne hat.
Roy Goodwin of Ilfracombe
They carry a hand bell to attract people's attention, as they
shout the words "Oyez, Oyez!" before making their announcements. The
words "Oyez, Oyez!" mean "hear ye", which is a call for
silence and attention. Oyez derives from the Anglo-Norman language for listen.
The town crier's job can be traced back as far as 1066, when news of Britain's first invasion by King William of Normandywas passed from town to town by people specifically employed to call out the king's proclamation.
Books and newspapers were scarce and only available to a small percentage of the population. Law and news may well have been written on paper but the majority was passed on by the town crier - The first talking newspaper!!
Oyez, Oyez roughly translates as Hark or Listen - the town crier would summon the townsfolk to public meeting places to hear news of plagues, victories or defeats in other countries, royal births and deaths by public execution
In Medieval England, town criers were the chief means of news
communication with the people of the town since many people could not read or
write.
Town criers were protected by the ruling monarch, as they sometimes
brought bad news (ie tax increases).
The town crier also existed in Europe.
Since 1810 there have been 8 town criers in Ilfracombe.
In order they are:- Tom Pile, Blood Vickery,
George Pile, Thomas Eames, Robert Martin (famous for being
a town crier on horseback), Tom Davey and
Tug Wilson. This takes us to 1947. From 1947 to 2001 there was no official crier
until Roy Goodwin, our present town crier. Although in reality Roy has
been the crier for 12 years but until 2001 it was an unofficial role. Roys costume
is a replica of an officers uniform from 1747.
and in case you are wondering a criers costume costs
around £2,000
MORE ABOUT ROY GOODWIN - OUR TOWN CRIER
