Lewes Bonfire Night

The first week of November sees one of the eccentric English’s most irresponsible, unruly and downright dangerous festivals – Bonfire Night. Up and down the country, human effigies are burned in back gardens and fireworks are set off – all in the name of Guy Fawkes’ foiled attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 – but in the otherwise peaceful market town of Lewes, things are taken to extremes. Imagine a head-on collision between Halloween and Mardi Gras and you’re well on your way to picturing Bonfire Night, Lewes-style.

Throughout the night, smoke fills the Lewes air, giving the steep and narrow streets an eerie, almost medieval feel. As the evening draws on, rowdy torch-lit processions make their way through streets, pausing to hurl barrels of burning tar into the River Ouse before dispersing to their own part of town to stoke up bonfires.

Establishment propaganda in the aftermath of the so-called Gunpowder Plot ensured that Fawkes’ name was forever associated with treason and treachery, and that “bone fires” – featuring burnings in effigy of villains of the day – became inextricably linked with his name. As the societies head for their own bonfires, they are each trailed by huge Papier-mâché figures. Crammed full of fireworks themselves, these “guys” are defended by a number of “prelates”, who fearlessly bat the rockets thrown at them by members of rival societies back into the crowd.

Forget the limp burgers of mainstream displays and lame sparklers suitable for use at home – for a real pyrotechnic party, Lewes is king.