Image: Megan Crombie
Scarlett Shaw dives into the origins of Bonfire Night
Picture yourself stepping into the bustling town of Hastings on Bonfire Night, crowds pushing and shoving to get to get the best view of the parade and once the clock hits seven, the booming parade starts with a mix of stomping marchers and the banging of drums. You become quite immersed in the atmosphere of the parade. The marchers pass you with their glowing torches which from a distance could resemble fallen stars that have come down to earth, the air is thick with musky smoke and the dark black sky that looms over you will soon be lit up with the explosions of bright colourful fireworks.
Bonfire Night is known to be widely celebrated across the United Kingdom but particularly in East Sussex. Why is this? And does anyone understand the true meaning of this celebration?
The origins of Bonfire Night date back to November 5th 1605, when Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the houses of Parliament in the hopes of killing the then king, James I. Fawkes’ motive was down to the hatred towards the Protestant King from English Catholics, who felt his harsh treatment towards them was unjust. They refused to accept the oppression and intolerance to their religion and wanted change. Luckily for King James the plan failed due to an anonymous tip given to Lord Monteagle warning him of the forthcoming attack.
Guy Fawkes was soon after arrested, convicted for treason and tortured before he was to go through the horrible punishment of being hung, drawn and quartered. However, he died by falling from the gallows and broke his neck. Some believe this was a lucky death as it saved him from experiencing the full horrifying punishments. And we continue to celebrate this night throughout October and the start of November to commemorate the failure of the gunpowder plot.
So why is this celebration so widely celebrated in East Sussex? Well, it’s down to the town, Lewes. This is the place with the largest celebration of Bonfire Night, firstly to remember Guy Fawkes’ failure to blow up the Houses of Parliament but secondly, to remember the seventeen Protestant Martyrs who were burnt at the stake in Lewes in 1555 and 1557 by Queen Mary I. Overall, it is clear that the origins of Bonfire Night is based on the fight between Catholics and Protestants in England and for many years they fought for power and control but nowadays everyone has the freedom to choose their faith and preach how they would like to.
Maybe it’s a good thing that Bonfire Night has lost some of its original meaning and has become just a social night out with family or friends but there are still some negatives that come with it. It can become unsafe during the march through the streets with the lit torches as one wrong step could lead to a serious accident. However, the many Bonfire Societies from across East Sussex make the safety of everyone their first priority and have the police monitoring for anti-social behavior and ambulances on standby in case of an emergency.
And no one Bonfire is exactly the same as another: they all add their own twists. After the pandemic of Coronavirus in 2020, Hastings Bonfire used a large papier mache coronavirus to set on fire for their bonfire and in Lewes political figures are made into comedic figures to be thrown into their bonfire.
In the end, it is clear that Bonfire Night is a time enjoyed by all. We are all sure to remember the fifth of November for many years to come.
