There has long been a history of anti-Catholic feeling here, ever since the deaths of the Lewes Martyrs, 17 Protestants who were burned in the mid-16th century during the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary. So as you might imagine the people of Lewes take their fifth-of-November celebrations rather more seriously than most other people.

The commemoration isn’t just about the Gunpowder Plot, then, but also remembers the Martyrs, with 17 burning crosses being carried through the town, and a wreath laid on the war memorial. The seven local bonfire societies create effigies for burning and drag them through the streets to one of five bonfire displays.

The effigies

Traditionally, the effigy burned at bonfire night celebrations up and down the country is of the Catholic Guy Fawkes, who is remembered as the villain of the plot to blow up Parliament. But here in Lewes things are rather more imaginative; Fawkes does feature, but he’s only one of several – Pope Paul V is a regular victim, with other recent favourites including Osama Bin Laden, traffic wardens and politicians.

(One of the societies also creates effigies of the heads of particular local villains to display on pikes – if you’re one of those people who tries to shut down the Lewes festivities, for instance, this is the fate that will probably await you. Standing for a local council seat is not for the faint-hearted.)

Over the centuries the competition between the Bonfire Boys in the different societies, all sorts of official mayhem (including burning barrel races), surprisingly-costumed torch-lit processions and visiting crowds of up to 80,000 have created a thrilling evening. It’s controversial, and more than a little eccentric, but try and change it at your peril… And then it’s November 6, and everyone goes back to their quiet daily lives…