Court Crier Box
Inside the 1749 Court House, this simple wooden enclosure caught my attention. It is a reconstruction of a court crier’s box, representing the place occupied by an official whose voice once helped keep the business of the courtroom moving.
The court crier had a surprisingly important role. He was responsible for maintaining order, announcing the opening and adjournment of court, calling witnesses and jurors, delivering proclamations and performing other duties for the judges. The familiar command “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez”, meaning essentially “Hear ye”, has its origins in this long courtroom tradition.
Court criers were once common in American courts, particularly before microphones, electronic communication, and modern administrative systems made many of their duties unnecessary. In a crowded 18th-century courtroom, however, a strong voice was an essential tool. The crier connected the judge, attorneys, witnesses, jurors, and spectators, making certain everyone knew when court was beginning and who was being summoned before it.
Read More From Nancy
National Monument to the Forefathers
We have visited Plymouth many times over the years, so I am still amazed that it took us this long to discover the National Monument to the Forefathers. When we finally visited this year, I found it almost mind-blowing. Rising more than 80 feet above us, the monument is enormous, intricately sculpted, and filled with […]
Oldest Hearse
Inside Plymouth’s historic courthouse, we came across an object that tells a very different kind of hometown story. This horse-drawn hearse dates to about 1820 and is believed to be the oldest surviving hearse in Plymouth. According to the exhibit, it was stored for many years in a small stone building behind First Church. The […]
Pilgrim Hall Museum
Just a few blocks from the Plymouth waterfront stands Pilgrim Hall Museum, another place where the story of Plymouth becomes tangible. Founded by the Pilgrim Society in 1824 and opened the following year, it is the oldest continuously operating public museum in the United States. The imposing granite building was designed specifically to preserve the […]
