Lewes Bonfire Night, 2009

In the UK Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on 5 November to mark the downfall of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in which a number of conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy King James and the Houses of Parliament in London. Celebrations involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires on which sometimes "guys" (traditionally effigies of Guy Fawkes) are burnt.

In Lewes, East Sussex, the tradition to process on bonfire night goes back many years. There are 6 different bonfire societies in Lewes and the people process in costume (Vikings, smugglers, Zulus, Elizabethans etc) through the town holding burning kerosene-soaked torches, pulling firecrackers, cannons and burning tar barrels. Each bonfire society then has its own bonfire where its wonderfully constructed, towering effigies are burnt and is followed by a magnificent firework display.

It's pagan, rebelious, crowded, exciting, smokey and very, very loud!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• fireworks
• Lewes
• GuyFawkes
• bonfire
• Gunpowder

[alandjoan]

My Wifes dad was a "Bonfire Boy " in Lewes .We have an old photo of him making the torches at aged 14 (About 1935).He loved it ,and travelled down after the war ,from Staffordshire every November to see his relatives and the Bonfire .His daughter (My wife)was dressed as an indian girl in a procession through the streets at aged 8 and still remembers the night ...she is 55 now !! ...Long live Lewes Bonfire !! And the memory of Joe Arnold, !!

[m00ny06]

im famous im the first zulu u see !

[apntv]

Cool, never have made it to Lewis for bonfire night so nice to see what it looks like.

[Fedaykin24]

With the growth of the commercially attractive Americanised Halloween I fear that in twenty years time you will only see Bonfire in Sussex and Lewes!

[pefouch]

Lewes is in EAST Sussex!

[deno914]

You have to experience LEWES to know how bloody fantastic it is. England must never lose this tradition - fight for it if necessary. All the very best to everyone we met. A bunch of us came down from Glasgow (Annie Miller's pub). It was without doubt one of the best nights ever. Met some brilliant people. Can't wait till next year.