Dorchester’s Town Crier wins again!
Alistair Chisholm , Town Crier of Dorchester, has won the National Town Criers’ Championship in Hastings for a record-equalling 11th time! This equals the record held by the late Ben Johnson of Fowey in Cornwall who achieved this in 1973.
Alistair said he was immensely proud to have equalled Ben’s record, in what is the oldest and most prestigious of Town Crying competitions, and congratulated Andrew Fleming, the Town Crier of Swanage, on his well-deserved second place.
Alistair dedicated his win to all the staff at the Robert White Radiotherapy unit at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester where he has recently completed his treatment for prostate cancer.
When asked if he would enter the National Championships next year Alistair said,
“I shall certainly be there. I look forward to this annual event. I am proud to represent Dorset’s county town and will be giving it my best shot. Winning again would be a bonus but I know I’d enjoy the event regardless of the result.”
Well done Alistair! Dorchester is proud of you!
Alistair can often be seen about the town in his robes. He attends all of Dorchester’s big events and is also a blue badge guide, leads local ghost walks and is a Dorchester Town Councillor. You can see he famous home cry below and you can also listen to Alistair doing his audio guided walk A Dorchester Trundle with the Town Crier, a fascinating and entertaining tour of our historic town.
Dorchester's Home Cry
OYEZ ! OYEZ ! OYEZ !
Dorchester, an ancient place, with stone-age wooden henge,
Stands beside the river Frome – a hundred miles from Penge!
We’ve Celtic Maiden Castle, sacked when the Romans came
Who built fine “Durnovaria”, much of which remains.
Through pestilence, fires, war and crises
To dreaded Judge Jeffreys and his Bloody Assizes.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs, long owed their pardons,
Still haunt the Court, the Walks, the Gardens.
The “Casterbridge” of Hardy continues still to thrive,
While the poetry of Barnes keeps the dialect alive.
Today the Prince’s Poundbury is reaching to the west,
I trust that you will relish, Dorchester, one of the best.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
