{"id":1015,"date":"2025-11-05T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/?p=1015"},"modified":"2025-11-05T19:00:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:00:03","slug":"remember-remember-the-5th-of-november","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/remember-remember-the-5th-of-november\/","title":{"rendered":"Remember, Remember, the 5th of November"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Old
The Gunpowder Plotters, culminating on the 5th of November<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Soon, after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, Parliament legislated for an annual commemoration of the Catholic Plot. The date they chose was the anniversary of finding Guy Fawkes with a lantern next to piles of barrels of Gunpowder underneath Parliament. This was the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament, 5th November 1605. The King, his Queen, the King’s children. The Lords from the House of Lords & MPs from the House of C would all have been blown up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ashmolean Lantern<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Guy Fawkes Lantern at the Ashmolean Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This was the one held by Fawkes. It was given the Museum by Robert Heywood in 1641. He got it from his brother, Peter, who was a Westminster Magistrate among the party who arrested Guy Fawkes in the cellar. Peter Heywood, took the lantern from Guy Fawkes to stop him setting fire to the pile of gunpowder barrels. Or at least that is the story Robert Heywood told.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commemoration of fireworks and bonfires was clearly appropriate given that it has been estimated that the amount of gunpowder in the barrels would have killed the king, the Royal Family, the House of Lords and the House of Commons and devastated a huge area around Westminster. But some suggest that the nature of the commemoration draws some elements from Halloween \u2013 use of bonfires and dressing up. Halloween was frowned upon by puritans, but they supported Guy Fawkes Day as it was anti-catholic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Banner in Lewes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The anti-catholic nature of the celebration is a fact, but it really isn’t something we think about today. There is little anti-Catholic prejudice in Britain (except in one or two very specific places). Irish friends are amazed we still celebrate it, but for the vast majority of people in Britain it is really just Fireworks night, nothing to do with anti-catholic sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lewes Bonfire<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Traces of the original anti-catholic nature of it do continue in places like Lewes, which is one of the most traditional Fireworks Nights. This consists of clubs who organise a parade through the town. Then it ends with the burning of an effigy of the Pope and, more recently, other unpopular figures on the contemporary scene. Click here for more on Lewes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Procession in Lewes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tar Barrel Rolling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ottery St Mary<\/a> continues the tradition of using Tar Barrels. These are wooden barrels in which tar and tinder are set on fire. The Barrels are either rolled through the Town, or down a hill. But in Ottery they are carried on the shoulders of volunteers (see video below). This has a pedigree which goes back before 1605 as there are references to tar barrels and displays in Protestant processions to celebrate the accession to the throne of Edward VI and Elizabeth 1.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Tar Barrels in Ottery St Mary<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n