For whom the bell tolls: How town crier Ian answered his town’s call

A chance meeting led to the return of town crying in Barnard Castle. Nearly two decades later, it’s still going strong. Work experience reporter Amy Hobson caught up with town crier Ian Kirkbride

NO ONE knows when last there was a Teesdale town crier or why the tradition fell away, but it returned in 2005 when the business guild wanted someone to promote the Christmas lights.
Businesswoman Claire Bromley approached Radio Teesdale to ask for a volunteer to walk around the town to give a shout out for the festive illuminations and late night shopping. By coincidence Ian Kirkbride was looking to get a gig on the radio on the same day.
He said the idea was someone to “dress up as town crier and wander round the town to tell people that shops are open” . He agreed, saying: “If you find me a costume, I could probably do that.”
Mr Kirkbride added: “She knew someone who had a cloak and a very funny hat – it was almost like somebody’s old curtains.” Mr Kirkbride even borrowed a bell from St Mary’s primary school for the event. Following its success, the former health and safety manager was asked to attend other community occasions, such as the opening of Hayes Travel.
Even people in outlying villages such as Romaldkirk and Ingleton began asking for him to feature in their fairs.
He started by hiring his crier outfit at his own cost.
However in 2016, Barnard Castle Town Council recognised his good work and appointed him to the post of town crier. Councillors commissioned an outfit so he no longer needed to rent one and he was also presented with a certificate to make it official.
The role of town crier can be traced back at least to medieval times – two bellmen appear in the Bayeaux Tapestry.
A natural entertainer and amateur actor, Mr Kirkbride was a perfect fit and remains in demand.
He recently appeared on BBC Two programme Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes, where he showed Green the sights of Barnard Castle.
For Mr Kirkbride, who lives in Bartlemere, it all began when he developed a love for the performing arts in childhood in Tyne and Wear.
Aged seven, he joined a church choir until he was 18.
During his time with choir, he went on camps to Stubb House, outside Winston, where he would take part in sports, and visited The Bowes Museum. Those visits sparked a life-long love of Barnard Castle.
He got together with his wife, Susan, through a passion for musicals, having met at a theatre contest run by Darlington Operatic Society.
They discovered that they had both gone to the same secondary school, although they never knew each other. They have been married for 41 years. They moved to Barnard Castle after retiring and Ian joined The Castle Players to enjoy the performing arts once again.
Mr Kirkbride says his “favourite thing about Barney is its atmosphere” .
He added: “I like to think that I have helped over the years with community spirit by getting involved in things. I have a strong feeling of wanting to make a contribution to Barnard Castle’s continuing success. If you belong somewhere and you enjoy it, why not put something back?”