Lewes

Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is situated in a gap in the South Downs where the river Ouse runs. It also serves as the administrative capital of the Lewes district.

The Lewes Bonfire

The town is famous for its annual Guy Fawkes night celebrations on the 5th of November. In Lewes this event not only marks the date of the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, but also commemorates the memory of 17 Protestant martyrs who were burnt at the stake in the town during the Marian persecutions of 1555 - 1557.

Related Topics:
Guy Fawkes night - 5th of November - Gunpowder Plot - 1605 - Protestant - Martyr - Marian persecutions - 1555 - 1557

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The current celebrations take the form of a series of torchlit processions through the town. The event is organised by the local bonfire societies. Lewes itself currently has seven bonfire societies (Nevill is a children's society and holds its celebrations a week or two before the 5th November; Southover, which disbanded in 1985, reformed in 2005) and a number of nearby towns have their own bonfire societies. The other five local bonfire societies from the town (Borough, Cliffe, Commercial Square, South Street and Waterloo) each proceed on their own route accompanied by a number of other societies from the neighbouring towns. Each bonfire society has its own traditional costumes (ranging from Tudor dress to Mongol warriors). A number of large effigies (effigies don't contain fireworks when dragged through the street, they are dummies, but the tableaux do contain fireworks) are drawn though the streets. Effigies of Guy Fawkes and Pope Paul V, who became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1605 feature every year. In addition each of the five main local societies creates a topical effigy, and the Cliffe society displays on pikes the heads (also in effigy!) of its current "Enemies of Bonfire". In 2001 an effigy of Osama bin Laden ensured that the annual event received more press attention than usual. The effigy was featured on the front page of a number of national newspapers. To mark the demise of the 17 martyrs, 17 burning crosses are carried through the town, and a wreath-laying ceremony occurs at the War Memorial in the centre of town. A "tar barrel" is also thrown into the river Ouse. The festivities culminate in five separate bonfire displays, where the effigies are destroyed by firework and flame. Up to 80,000 people have been known to attend this local spectacle.

Related Topics:
Torchlit procession - Bonfire societies - Costume - Tudor - Mongol - Effigies - Firework - Guy Fawkes - Pope Paul V - Roman Catholic Church - 1605 - 2001 - Osama bin Laden - Ouse

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In October of 2000 the town suffered major flooding. The commercial centre of the town and many residential areas were devastated. The flooding occurred during an intense period of severe weather throughout the UK. In a government report into the nationwide flooding, Lewes was officially noted the most severely affected location. The train station (pictured) temporarily looked like a canal.

Related Topics:
2000 - Flood - UK - Canal

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