Welcome to Celtnet's Guy Fawkes (Bonfire Night) Information and Recipes Page — This page details the origins of Bonfire Night (also known as Guy Fawkes Night), celebrated on November 5th from it's origins in the 17th century to its celebration today. You will learn about the various practices associated with night, as well as see recipes associated with this night throughout the centuries.

Although forever associated with the Gunpowder Plot to blow up parliament and assassinate king James I, the practice of lighting fires at this time of year are ancient. From the hearth kindling festivals of the Celts to the fires lit to purify domestic animals of the Bronze Age and earlier. Today, though it is more of a family and social occasion with its own themed foods (which are detailed below).

A brief history of the gunpowder plot and subsequent Bonfire Night celebrations is given below. Underneath these you can find all the November 5th associated recipes presented on this site.

Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night is an annual celebration held on the evening of 5th November to mark the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of November 5^th 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament, in London. Festivities are centred on the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires.

The History of Bonfire Night:

The History of Guy Fawkes Night
The Gunpowder Plot itself was organized in 1605 by Robert Catesby, Thomas Wintour, Robert Wintour, Guy Fawkes, John Wright, Christopher Wright, Robert Keyes, Thomas Percy, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby, Francis Tresham, Thomas Bates as an attempt to assassinate James I of England and restore Catholicism to England. The plot itself was a plan to place a horde of gunpowder in an undercroft directly underneath the House of Lords. The plotters believed it to be the perfect place to hide explosives, as the undercroft had gone unused for some time.As October came and the plot was finalised, concerns arose that there may be Catholics present in Parliament when the device was to explode and a tip-off on the 1st of November led to a search of the Houses of Parliament on Monday the 4th of November. According to the King's account, searchers discovered a servant nearby a large pile of firewood in the undercroft on Monday 4 November. He informed the searchers that the firewood belonged to his master, Thomas Percy. The servant's true identity was Guy Fawkes. As the searches had so far failed to locate anything untoward the King demanded that a more thorough search must commence. Shortly after midnight a search party under the command of Thomas Knyvet discovered Fawkes in the undercroft. Fawkes, who identified himself as John Johnson, was placed under arrest, and his possessions searched. He was discovered to be carrying a pocket watch, matches, and touchwood. The search team then unearthed barrels of gunpowder hidden beneath the pile of firewood.

Fawkes, still using the alias John Johnson, claimed when interrogated that he had acted alone. 'Johnson' was relocated to the Tower of London on 6 November, where he was to be tortured, after the King gave his consent for the torture to take place. On 7 November Fawkes confessed that he had not acted alone, and the full extent of the plot was unearthed. In January 1606 the Thanksgiving Act was passed, and commemorating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot became an annual event. Early traditions soon began after the act was passed, such as the ringing of church bells and the lighting of bonfires, and fireworks were even included in some of the earliest celebrations.

Despite the act being repealed in 1859 the conflation of the bonfires of November 5th with earlier Hallowe'en traditions of bonfire lighting ensured that bonfire night remains a yearly custom throughout Britain.

In the United Kingdom, celebrations take place in towns and villages across the country in the form of both private and civic events. The festivities involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires on which 'guys' are traditionally burnt, although this practice is not always observed in modern times. The 'guys' are traditionally effigies of Guy Fawkes, the most famous of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators. In the weeks before bonfire night, children traditionally displayed the 'guy' and requested a 'penny for the guy' in order to raise funds with which to buy fireworks. However, this practice has diminished greatly, perhaps because it has been seen as begging, and also because children are not allowed to buy fireworks. In addition there are concerns that children might misuse the money.

Of the various traditions associated with Bonfire Night, perhaps the most well known is the old rhyme:

          Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
          The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
          I see has no reason
          Why the Gunpowder Treason
          Should ever be forgot.
          Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
          To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
          Three-score barrels of powder below
          To prove old England's overthrow;
          By God's providence he was catch'd (or by God's mercy)
          With a dark lantern and burning match.
          Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
          Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
          And what should we do with him? Burn him!


Traditional Bonfire Night Recipes
Being a social and/or family occasion many foods have become inextricably associated with Bonfire Night. However, these have tended to change throughout the ages and here a selection of traditional and modern recipes are presented.

Toffee Apples
Parkin
Parched Peas
Groaty Pudding
Roast Chestnuts
Thorcake
Hot Buttered Rum
Yorkshire Parkin

Of course, one of the classic Bonfire Night treats is the Jacket Potato (baked potato). The traditional way of preparing these is to cover in foil and to bake in the bonfire (or the embers of the bonfire). Of course, you can also cook in the oven. Simply scrub your potato well (King Edwards are excellent) then pierce several times with a fork before placing in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and baking for about 60 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.

Modern Bonfire Night Recipes:

Modern Bonfire night, in many places is more of a social arrangement with food either being served outside around the bonfire or served as a buffet or informal dinner indoors. These recipes have a winter twist to them or are associated with Bonfire Night and are suited to informal and more formal meals.