Christian Ashdown wins bronze at World Town Crier Tournament

Christian Ashdown, the town crier for Haslemere for 16 years, secured third place in the 2026 World Town Crier Tournament held in Chester. Ashdown expressed being “delighted and shocked” by the podium finish in a competition featuring 25 entrants from around the world, including participants from Belgium, Canada, and Australia.

The tournament, which has nearly 500 years of history, evaluates contestants on volume, clarity, inflection, and diction. Ashdown, who also chairs the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers, described the role of a town crier as serving as an ambassador and a “bastion of the town.”