Bonfire Night

Last night, Guy Fawkes Night (or Bonfire Night) was celebrated. The most British of holidays, it is of course commemorating the revolutionary/rebellion gunpowder plot to blow up the House of Commons (and murder King James) on 5^th November 1605.

 Fawkes was caught guarding the gunpowder near Parliament and he and his co-conspirators were brought before the king and sentenced to death.

Guy Fawkes is celebrated in many different ways. The most common ways are to attend bonfires, light fireworks, and sometimes effigies of Fawkes (and others) are burned. It also has become common for protests to take place.

Other than London, naturally, the biggest celebrations are held in the Sussex town of Lewes. At Lewes, a large procession takes place involving the townspeople dressing up in various costumes, carrying burning crucifixes to symbolise 17 protestant martyrs burned in the town during the 16^th century, burning various effigies (often including politicians as well as the standard Guy Fawkes!) and the night ends with flaming torches being thrown to the ground, which people then leap over if they’re up to it!

HOW hopes all our supporters had an excellent Guy Fawkes Night.

Melissa