Lewes Bonfire - From The Outside
If you've found this blog because you are interested in the history and traditions of Sussex Bonfire, then good for you. It's not really the reason I'm writing it, but I'll try to leave you a few breadcrumbs so that you can at least continue to research in the right directions. If you are seeking some kind of secret about how tourists can get the best out of Lewes, I'm sorry, there's a good chance you will be disappointed.
This is Mainly an account of my own experience, I'll try to provide a balanced and objective view, but my thoughts and opinions are my own.
For me, Lewes, was something of a pilgrimage. I'm a professional Pyrotechnician, and so I've had an interest in the biggest celebration of it's kind, for may years. I've just been rather busy with my own “stuff”. This year, has been in the word of that old Chinese Curse, “Interesting Times”, and I have found my self without pyro work and since I'm spending a lot of my time in Sussex with my girlfriend anyway, it quickly became clear that, THIS was the year to try to get to Lewes.
"The websites and articles seem to suggest that Lewes is rather hostile to outsiders, is this true?"
Like many things I think it manly comes down to previous experience. It's not reallysomething that the casual tourist can contribute to, and frankly if you don't understand what's happening it could be confusing, dangerous, and disappointing. Sadly, there is a type of visitor who turn up to these kind of events because they “Heard it was cool” or something similar, and then when they find that the event is not what they are expecting, they complain. I think in general the perceived hostility in much of the writing about Lewes has to do with discouraging this element.
There is also the fact that this is NOT a public show, it is a religious ritual, that happens to involve the whole town, and much of the rest of the county. Lewes Bonfire just really isn't the kind of thing that casual visitors have any part to play.
"Religious?"
That's not an exaggeration, or an analogy, there are VERY STRONG religious aspects in the celebration, it's not just about Guy Fawks and the Gunpowder Plot, though of course that is also a big part of the event. This celebration brings together the commemoration of several events and particularly memorialises those who payed the ultimate price for their faith, or for crown and country. Of course a lot of the traditions associated with the occasion are rooted in the hostility between the Catholic and Protestant church.
On the other hand, I've found the people involved to be welcoming accommodating warm and helpful. Like many towns and societies with special traditions, there is a degree of pride that outsiders want to experience a part of what it's like, but it is a very personal sort of celebratation including a great deal of religious ritual and historical symbology.
“...but they throw fireworks at people, it's dangerous, and irresponsible and should be stopped!”
That's partly true, but it's not really the whole story, and people who say things like that are exactly the kind of people who should stay away from Sussex Bonfire events, it misses the point. Indeed, if that's the kind of thing that you find upsetting you will probably find a lot of the rest of the celebrations fairly offensive, unpleasant and probably a bit confusing too.
Yes it is dangerous, ALL fireworks are dangerous. There are very strict rules applied by the various Bonfire Societies concerning what kinds of fireworks are used, where, and how.
Irresponsible? Actually, in this case it seems a matter of taking personal responsibility rather than handing over the responsibility for your own safety and those around you to some faceless legal entity. The Bonfire Societies are the overall arbiter of what is acceptable, and they make sure that the traditions are upheld in a relatively safe manner.
It's also important to bear in mind that a big part of the event is about rebellion, freedom and independence, while the “rebellion” is largely symbolic in modern times, freedom and independence are very strongly held rites, and woe betide any who suggest that things should be “changed”. Indeed anyone who suggests messing with the traditions of “Bonfire” risks being burned in effigy them selves as an “Enemy of Bonfire”.
That blazing barrel is thrown into the river at least partially to mark a previous occasion when local authorities were thrown in the river for attempting to stop the Bonfire Boys. Antisocial behavior and rioting is no longer part of the event, and the “Bonfire Societies” have stepped up to make sure that the traditions are upheld without too much damage and distress.
"They boarded up the town?!"
Yes, many of the shops and businesses in the High St and parade routes boarded over their windows, but I don't think it was so much, as one person was over heard to say, “...in case a stray firework breaks a window”. Nor was it as it may have been in the past, to protect from riots and destruction. More, I suspect; to avoid people falling through the glass in the crush of the crowd, that could get really messy. On this occasion, the “Crowd” was fairly well behaved, and there was space to move etc, but I gather things have been rather more intense in previous years. I've certainly been in WORSE crowds.
"What ACTUALLY happens?"
The short answer to that is “A LOT”!
Again I'll say, if you don't have a reason to be there, an allegiance to one of the Bonfire Societies, or at least a decent understanding of the history and traditions involved, you will probably NOT experience the full wonder and magnificence of the whole town celebrating its traditions. I took the time to research and plan, in discussion with one of the societies so that I was able to see most of the things I considered interesting, and a lot of that was based on the history as I'd come to understand it after many years of interest in the subject. It's really not a place for casual visitors.
I started the evening watching a Blazing Barrel thrown into the river, then watched the “Barrel Run”. The “Barrels for this are now metal Drums on trolleys, but the competition is still heated. The trolleys are dragged along the street by the competitors and I imagine it would be rather exciting
to be faced with the prospect of passing or BEING PASSED by such a device.
Maybe they should've had THAT in the Olympics.
I lent my allegiance to “Southover” for the evening but the Barrel Run, is a tradition of the “Cliffe” society which is at the other end of town. However since I was down there to see the Southover Barrel thrown in the river it was no hardship to find a good spot for the race.
Then I managed to press through the throng to a nice spot uphill of the main town war memorial to see some of the processions. Where I was joined in due course by My Lady Companion, who had to travel straight from work.
“Hang on, there's more than one processon?”
Oh yes! There's several Bonfire Societies, organised basically by parish, and each one has several processions and other traditions too. Basically, there's a “Memorial Procession” there may be a “Children's Procession” and the “United Grand Procession” and then there's the procession TO the fire site and another procession HOME.
Unfortunately, before the “United Grand Procession” my primary Camera threw a fit, and stopped working. Normally the battery in that one will last a couple of days from fully charged and even with one “notch” down it should still last an evening, but for some reason it dropped from fully charged to one notch down, in the space of a few hours and shortly after, dropped out completely. So I had to fall back on my back up, my mobile phone...
Which died shortly after, even though that too should have had PLENTY of charge for the day.
When I pulled out my SECOND back up (I have two phones, and both have quite reasonable cameras) only to find that to was out of charge too, I concluded that I was simply not meant to TAKE pictures. It didn't stop me enjoying the occasion, but it did mean that I was able to focus more on enjoying the experience, instead of being preoccupied with RECORDING the occasion.
So yes, lot's of processions, with flaming torches, banners, bangers, “Fire Drawing”, and “Lance Work”, ceremony, ritual and remembrance.
Remembrance is a big part of the celebrations, not just from the “Remember, Remember the Fifth of November...” (There's an awful lot more of that particular rhyme than most people know.) There's also the Lewes Martyrs, burned as part of the Marian Persecutions. There's also remembrance of War Dead, and elements of remembrance of previous celebrations too. The riots and destruction of the past are nolonger tolerated but traditions like the throwing of the barrel into the river do go some way to recalling such times.
I'm not the kind of person you'll usually find in church, but I'm not at all uncomfortable with congregating around the war memorial as a mark of respect. The order of service did get seem to get modified, but it was a nice occasion, and I particularly liked the use of lancework in that context.
After the memorial service, another procession, this time to the fire site.
Another interesting part of the proceedings took place at the fire site, a small scaffold had been erected, and was duly populated by some of the leading characters of the society including one dressed as a pope. More crosses were lit, and more fireworks thrown, indeed for this part of the ceremony I have to admit that I didn't hear the prayers but in addition to the fireworks thrown by and at the speakers the speeches were punctuated by some lager pyro from the fireworks field.
As I say, I couldn't hear the prayers from where I was, over the din of fireworks but I think there were three main prayers before the display proper commenced, and OH BOY did it!
I've seen and been involved in some intense displays but this was certainly one of the more intense and longest lasting. There's probably some things that I would choreograph DIFFERENTLY, but that would detract from the point. This was not an “Artistic Display” nor was it concerned with precision and timing. This show was about intensity and drama and it delivered IN SPADES! It's also not fair to say that there WASN'T any artistry in it, there was some interesting and clever use of material creating several layers of effects from the ground up. Credit to the team who set it all up, I was impressed, and as a professional in the field that can take some doing.
It was AWESOME!
After that, there was a recitation of the “Remember, Remember...” rhyme, with all it's verses, and I believe they disposed of the effigy shortly after, but we had to leave before that. For several reasons I never got a good view of the effigy so I can't tell you what it was supposed to be but I think it was a comment on the nature of the coalition government with the phrase “Hand in Glove” and some kind of Glove puppet. Unfortunately My Lady Companion and I had to leave in order to be sure of getting a train home. I would have preferred to be able to travel in my own vehicle but that would have necessitated staying MUCH later, since things don't really begin to wind down until midnight and probably go on for much longer. That wasn't much of an option this time either so train it was.
We did however take a slight detour to the station via “The Priory” in an attempt to short cut around Southover High St, but with access to the station restricted, we were then directed back around a detour. This turned out well too because we ended up catching up with the Cliffe again and their Homeward Procession. Their band (Heathfield Silver Band) provided just the kind of lift tired feet needed to get to the station. There were certainly more crowds heading up country to London and over to Brighton, but the trains for Eastbourn were notably less busy and we were even able to sit for the journey home.
I am forced to conclude that an outsider CAN enjoy this event, but like many things, you get out, what you put in. If it's something you REALLY want to do, I would strongly advise contacting one of the Bonfire societies and offering them your support and allegiance, that way, you will have a small stake in proceedings and maybe you will gain a better understanding of what it REALLY means to the people.
All in all it was a very enjoyable evening, but it's left me with a bit of a problem. I enjoyed it so much, that I now find that I want to do it all again next year. Which could be dificult if I get anyof my own pyro work, andgod knows I need the money.
Maybe I should look into joining The Society... if they'll have me!
http://www.southoverbs.com/
http://www.lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk/index.html
http://www.lewesbonfirecelebrations.com/