Martin Wood, a towering figure in the world of town crying, is set to compete in the National Town Criers’ Championship this October, marking his 46th consecutive year placing among the top five contestants. Known for his distinctive booming voice and remarkable height of 7 feet 2 inches, Wood has become a well-recognized presence in his native Shrewsbury and beyond.

Town crying, a traditional British practice dating back centuries, involves vocally announcing public information, often accompanied by a handbell and a scroll. Wood crafts his own cries, which typically rhyme, and performs them with a carefully projected voice rather than shouting. He distinguishes his style from the American “hear ye” call, emphasizing projection honed through lessons with actor Edward Woodward during filming in the 1980s.

Wood’s dedication to his craft is evident in his preparation. He often practices outdoors, directing his voice toward trees and stone walls, and in earlier years relied on his wife’s feedback from a distance to ensure his words carried clearly. His scrolls are hand-lettered, though he sometimes uses printed versions for convenience.

Throughout his career, Wood has found himself in unusual situations, including having to issue multiple bomb scare warnings. On one notable occasion near Buckingham Palace, his calm and clear instructions helped manage the diverse, multilingual crowd by politely urging them to move into Green Park.

The competitive aspect of modern town crying evaluates participants on clarity, diction, and inflection, with judges placed strategically to prevent advantage from sound reflections. Despite the rivalry, criers maintain a collegial atmosphere, supporting one another through social media and communal events, including funerals.

A unique feature of Wood’s performance is his specially commissioned bell, made by the former Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The brewery that once employed Wood as a town crier gifted it to him after initially failing to pay his invoice. The bell, weighing 5.5 kilograms, is the largest handled model in the country and is tuned precisely to his voice’s pitch to help judges attune to his timbre before he starts his announcements.

Wood is known to make every one of his allotted 120 words count during competitions. His voice is remarkably powerful; measured at 167.4 decibels from about eight feet away, it surpasses the world record held by an Australian crier who reached 122.4 decibels at 15 centimeters. Wood believes he could break the record but prefers to do so at his peak performance, possibly as a “last hurrah” before retiring.

Despite his extraordinary vocal ability and long-standing success, Wood rarely speaks of winning. His enduring presence and enduring professionalism continue to define his contribution to the age-old tradition of town crying.