Bonfire Night History: What is Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night is one of the best bits of the transition into the colder, darker months. We get together to watch as fireworks explode in the sky, colouring it with purple, green, red, and blue. We also tuck into delicious toffee apples and watch as a huge fire burns. It’s something we’ve been doing for 400 years now. 

But what is Bonfire Night, and why do we celebrate it? Here’s a brief history of Bonfire Night, including why we celebrate it and the devious plot that started it all. 

What is Bonfire Night? 

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Bonfire Night is the British commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot that went down on the 5th of November 1605. 

The Gunpowder Plot was conducted by a group of English Roman Catholics attempting to blow up Parliament, King James I, and his family. Organised by devout Catholic Robert Catesby, the idea was to kill the Protestant King to establish Catholic rule over England and end the persecution of Roman Catholics in the country. 

To do this, Guy Fawkes (you might've heard of him) and his team went into the cellar of Parliament around midnight with 36 barrels of gunpowder, matches, and a fuse, hence the name “Gunpowder Plot”. Bonfire Night is also referred to as Guy Fawkes Night because of his involvement. 

Why did the Gunpowder Plot fail? 

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On the 26th of October, Lord Monteagle (who was the brother-in-law of Francis Tresham, one of the Gunpowder Plot’s team members) received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend Parliament on the 5th of November. So he alerted the government. 

It’s never been proven, but naturally, Francis Tresham looked pretty suspicious. He joined the team late and wanted to stop the plan. But, of course, he denied sending the letter.

Sir Thomas Knyvet was the courtier (companion or advisor to the monarch) and Member of Parliament who played a key role in preventing the plot's success, finding the team in the cellar with all that gunpowder.

As the team were caught, no one was harmed, except four of the team who were killed in a shootout when they were found in the cellar. The remaining eight were convicted of treason and suffered the penalty of being hung, drawn, and quartered. But before that, Guy Fawkes was tortured until he revealed the names of the other conspirators. Brutal, but what can you expect for trying to blow up your government in the Elizabethan era?

Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?

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The year after the attempted attack, Parliament declared the 5th of November as a day of public thanksgiving. So we basically celebrate the failure of the plot. Kind of embarrassing for Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators.

Now, up and down the UK, we light huge fires, colour the sky with fireworks, and draw in the air with sparklers. Sometimes we even throw a dummy “Guy” on the fire to represent Guy Fawkes, and kids occasionally make a “Guy” effigy of Guy Fawkes, parading it around and asking for "a penny for the guy".

Another tradition that still takes place is a ceremonial search before the State Opening of Parliament, when the British monarch's bodyguard sweeps the cellars, searching for hidden explosives. 

For some reason, Guy Fawkes is the one we all remember despite the involvement of 11 others, including Robert Catesby, who planned the whole thing. Perhaps it's because Guy Fawkes was the only one who was knowledgeable on gunpowder, having been an explosive expert while in the military, meaning he was the one who was chosen to set the fuse. 

With huge bonfires, fireworks, and tasty treats, Bonfire Night can be a brilliant celebration. But it can also be also dangerous to celebrate at home. Leave it to the experts to provide the thrills by attending a Bonfire Night event instead of singing the grass in your garden. Click or tap here to find Bonfire Night events in your area. 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

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