The Explosive Story Behind Bonfire Night - The Gunpowder Plot

The Real Plot That Nearly Blew Up Britain

We all know the rhyme — “Remember, remember, the fifth of November…” — but how many of us actually remember why?

Behind the fireworks, toffee apples and blazing bonfires lies a real plot — one of the most daring terrorist attacks ever planned on British soil.

A Secret Plan to Blow Up Parliament

Picture this: the year is 1605.

England is divided by religion. Catholics have been persecuted for decades and had hoped the new king, James I, would ease the pressure. But when he didn’t, a group of angry young men decided to take matters into their own hands — with gunpowder.

Led by Robert Catesby, the group included Guy Fawkes, a battle-hardened soldier who had fought for the Spanish in Europe. Their mission was simple but shocking:

destroy the Houses of Parliament, kill the King, and wipe out the government in one devastating explosion.

They secretly smuggled 36 barrels of gunpowder into a cellar under the House of Lords — enough to level half of Westminster.

The Betrayal

But not everyone was comfortable with the plan. Some plotters realised that innocent people — even fellow Catholics — would die in the blast.

One of them sent a mysterious warning letter to a nobleman, Lord Monteagle, telling him to stay away from Parliament on November 5.

That anonymous tip-off reached the King, and within hours, soldiers were searching the cellars.

There, in the flickering torchlight, they found Guy Fawkes, armed with matches and standing guard over the gunpowder.

Capture, Torture and Execution

Guy Fawkes was arrested on the spot and taken to the Tower of London, where he was tortured until he revealed the names of his fellow conspirators.

He and several others were later executed for treason.

But there’s still a mystery that historians love to debate:

Would the plot have actually worked?

Some believe the gunpowder was so old it might never have exploded. We’ll never know — because the plot was foiled before the fuse was ever lit.

The Birth of Bonfire Night

The very night the plot was stopped, Londoners lit bonfires to celebrate the King’s survival.

That spontaneous act of joy soon became a national tradition — and four centuries later, we’re still lighting fires and watching fireworks on November 5th to remember the day Britain was nearly blown apart.

Back then, people burned effigies of Guy Fawkes — or sometimes the Pope — on their bonfires. Children made “Guys” from old clothes, pushed them around the streets, and asked for “a penny for the Guy” to buy fireworks.

Over time, the religious tensions faded and Bonfire Night became more about community fun than politics — though the chant “Remember, remember the fifth of November” still echoes every year.

From Treason to Tradition

Today, Bonfire Night is one of Britain’s most spectacular annual celebrations — a mix of history, danger and fireworks lighting up the skies.

From small village gatherings to huge displays like Lewes in Sussex, the event now celebrates freedom, history, and a good excuse to wrap up warm and enjoy a night outdoors.

Even now, over 400 years later, the cellars of Parliament are still searched by the Yeomen of the Guard before every State Opening — a reminder of how close Britain once came to catastrophe.

Remember, Remember…

What began as a failed act of rebellion has become a night of colour, community and reflection.

Every November 5th, as fireworks burst above us, we’re unknowingly commemorating a moment that could have changed British history forever.

The most well-known version of the traditional English rhyme goes like this:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot,

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy, t’was his intent

To blow up King and Parliament.

Three score barrels were laid below

To prove old England’s overthrow.

By God’s mercy he was catch’d

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring.

Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King!

Over the centuries, the rhyme has appeared in many versions — some longer and more political, others shorter and used mainly for Bonfire Night celebrations. The opening lines, though, remain the same and are still recited across the UK every 5th of November to mark Bonfire Night.

So next time you watch the sky light up, think of the man in the mask — Guy Fawkes — and the plot that nearly blew up a kingdom.

Enjoy your Bonfire Night but also check out our safety advice here