The Sussex Bonfire Societies are responsible for the series of

bonfire A bonfire is a large and controlled outdoor fire, used for waste disposal or as part of a religious feast, such as Saint John's Eve. Etymology The earliest attestations date to the late 15th century, with the Catholicon Anglicum spelling i ...

festivals concentrated on central and eastern

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

, with further festivals in parts of

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

and

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

from September to November each year. The Lewes celebrations, by far the largest and most well-attended event, mark both

Guy Fawkes Night Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration list of minor secular observances#November, observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain, involving bonfires and firewor ...

and the burning of 17 Protestant martyrs in Lewes's High Street from 1555 to 1557, during the reign of Mary Tudor.

Development

The Sussex Bonfire tradition is a uniquely local form of protest with several influences under the motto We Burn For Good. Whereas

Guy Fawkes Guy Fawkes (; 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educate ...

night in most parts of Great Britain is traditionally commemorated at large public

fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

displays or small family bonfires, towns in Sussex and Kent hold huge gala events with fires, processions and festivals. The tradition has remained strong for more than a century becoming the highlight of the year for many towns and villages in the South East. The Bonfire Societies use the events to collect money for local charities. Guy Fawkes night was adopted by the early Lewes Bonfire gangs for convenience as this was the night that civil disobedience was tolerated when young men could let off steam which became riots. From the mid-18th century Guy Fawkes night celebrations began to take on an entirely different meaning as a rallying point to protest against authority. In 1785 the greatest riot perhaps ever known at Lewes began when a bonfire was started on School Hill in the centre of town. Later many conscripted men returning from the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

faced real hardship and added to this feeling of social injustice, forming themselves into gangs based around sea ports where they had connections and could operate with relative impunity. The French Marinière jumper was adopted as better equipment by the British sailors and as trophies of war. Additionally the

Sailor suit A sailor suit is a uniform that originated in the United Kingdom, traditionally worn by enlisted seamen in a navy or other governmental sea services. It later developed into a popular clothing style for children, especially as dress clothes a ...

was common dress for working-class people at the time because of its ready availability at ports and as counter-fashion for the working class. It also provided cover for the gangs to operate as you could hide in plain sight if other people are wearing the same thing. Different colour stripes differentiated the different gangs. Later still the disenfranchised workers became increasingly politicised by radicals like

Tom Paine Thomas Paine (born Thomas Pain; – In the contemporary record as noted by Conway, Paine's birth date is given as January 29, 1736–37. Common practice was to use a dash or a slash to separate the old-style year from the new-style year. In ...

, who lived in Lewes, and bonfire gangs or 'boys' began to organise, collecting subscriptions to finance them and building bonfires and burning effigies to show their dissent. The radicals like Tom Paine began to form successful campaigns for political reform such as the

Chartists Chartism was a working-class movement for political reform in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom that erupted from 1838 to 1857 and was strongest in 1839, 1842 and 1848. It took its name from the People's Charter of ...

and adopted lobbying and peaceful demonstration tactics and rejected those who continued with the street riots. Consequently there was a ban on assembly with burning torches and bonfires to quell the workers uprising. It was from this point that Guy Fawkes night became the special and local 'Bonfire' in Lewes as it adopted the right to have a bonfire and celebrate under the Observance of 5th November Act 1605. The banning did not stop the Bonfire celebrations in Lewes and they spread to other parts of East Sussex in uprising. From 1827 the Bonfire Boys became more organised and darkened their faces to prevent arrest. From 1832 blazing tar barrels were rolled down the narrow streets of the commercial and wealthy centre of Lewes with timber buildings on either side, openly threatening life and property of the ruling classes. The protests continued and in 1846 the local magistrate was knocked unconscious in a confrontation with Bonfire Boys as he emerged from his house to warn them of arrest. In "Observations on the Doings in Lewes of the 5th November 1846", printed anonymously in the Sussex Weekly Advertiser, called for the working class to be oppressed and the Bonfire Boys locked-up. The tory press, particularly

The Express Newspapers Northern & Shell (holding company name Northern and Shell Network Ltd) is a British publishing group, founded in December 1974 and owned since then by Richard Desmond. Formerly a publisher of pornographic magazines including '' Penthouse'' and '' ...

suggested to compromise on free speech that the festivities be moved to a site out of town. The Bonfire Boys refused to negotiate with the authorities and pledged to continue their protests. In the middle of the night before the following 5 November a confrontation between some Bonfire Boys, rabble rousers and the local constabulary showed they were woefully outnumbered for what everyone thought was going to be the biggest and most riotous Bonfire night yet. The Lewes Police called-in re-enforcements from London and by the next day a Police line surrounded County Hall. There was a long stand-off and by nightfall mock battle commenced with fireworks being thrown and the Police pushing back the crowds. The magistrate and local landowner

Henry Pelham, 3rd Earl of Chichester Henry Thomas Pelham, 3rd Earl of Chichester DL (25 August 1804 – 15 March 1886), styled Lord Pelham until 1826, was an English peer. Background and education Pelham was born on Stratton Street, Piccadilly, the son of Thomas Pelham, 2nd E ...

read the Riot Act on the steps of County Hall behind the Police line and the Police dispersed the crowds with violence. The next morning was eerily quiet but the Bonfire Boys were buoyed by being undefeated in taking on the London Police. That night the Bonfire Boys celebrated back on the streets of Lewes and similar Bonfire festivities spread to other places across East Sussex for the rest of November. So local Bonfire societies were born. The enemies of the uprising such as the Police, Courts and Sussex Advertiser were targeted for intimidation. In a prophetic report and with contrition the paper noted that 'it shouldn't be ordinarily termed a riot, but is the keeping up of tradition'. As proposed by the Express and to keep the tradition burning strong it was agreed by all in 1848 that Wallands Park become the site of the festivities. However, in 1850 Lewes Bonfire festivities were influenced again. After the

Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 ( 10 Geo. 4. c. 7), also known as the Catholic Emancipation Act 1829, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that removed the sacramental tests that barred Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom f ...

in 1850 the Pope restored Catholic bishops in England including the new Archbishop of Westminster. There was an enormous public backlash and the meaning of Guy Fawkes night took on new vigour. In fury the Bonfire Boys, never to be understated in their offence, burned an effigy of the Pope as well as Guy Fawkes, something that is unique to Lewes. New Bonfire Societies were formed where none existed and with an intensity not seen for a hundred years on numerous nights East Sussex burned with outrage with signs of No Popery Here. These signs were not connected with the No Popery march on Parliament. It was a phrase from history which had re-emerged, and whereas some local to Lewes may well have been in the Protestant association movement there is no evidence that the Bonfire Societies were involved, indeed they weren't created until a long time after. It is more likely to have been a sign to provoke others into joining them in general protest against authority, in this case and with irony, against Parliament which Guy Fawkes had tried to blow-up. With the history of the

Gordon Riots The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days' rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment. They began with a large and orderly protest against the Papists Act 1778, which was intended to reduce official discrimination against British ...

still in the mind of the authorities, the Police decided that 'forebearance on the part of the authorities is the better policy’. And so in Lewes, with the authorities grudgingly accepting it and the Police just watching, the Bonfire Boys marked the spot where the

Lewes Martyrs The Lewes Martyrs were 17 Protestants who were burned at the stake in Lewes, Sussex, England, between 1555 and 1557. These executions were part of the Marian persecutions of Protestants during the reign of Mary I. On 6 June 1556, Thomas Harland ...

had been burnt at the stake and marched with burning crosses to increase their notoriety and as a snub to the liberal elite. Out of this the tradition we know today was born and tacit permission was granted to make it a local custom so Lewes man could assert their liberties, whether as a Protestant under a Catholic throne or to protest authority, and as a protest for social justice and over inequalities. Later

Mark Antony Lower Mark Antony Lower F.S.A. M.A. (14 July 1813 – 22 March 1876) was a Sussex historian and schoolteacher who founded the Sussex Archaeological Society. An anti-Catholic propagandist, Lower is believed to have started the "cult of the Sussex Martyr ...

, an anti-Catholic propagandist and schoolmaster from Lewes, tried to hijack the notoriety of the Lewes Bonfire Boys incorporating the Lewes Protestant Martyrs into their festivities for his own gain. Some assert there is a

Pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

connection with Bonfire. But apart from fire as one of Pagans five elements there is no evidence of any link. The fire in the case of Bonfire was because of the trades of the original Bonfire Boys as smiths (see

forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to the ...

). Furthermore Paganism had become remote from most people from the early 18th century as towns industrialised and ways of life changed from working with seasons to working weeks. The Pagan revival of the early 20th century has seen Paganism co-opted into Bonfire.

Organisation

The logistical set up required for the events often starts as early as February. This has led the Societies to pool resources and work together on each other's bonfire events. This creates associated processions, with large festivals like Lewes and

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

going on late into the night. Due to the size and number of events and mutual collaboration, it became impractical to hold all the bonfires on the traditional

Fifth of November Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain, involving bonfires and fireworks displays. Its history begins with the ev ...

. This resulted in the "bonfire season" to be extended over three months through September, October and November. The first Sussex Bonfire Societies' event starts with the

Uckfield Uckfield () is a town in the Wealden District, Wealden District of East Sussex in South East England. The town is on the River Uck, one of the tributaries of the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse, on the southern edge of the Weald. Etymology "Uck ...

Carnival on the first Saturday of September and concludes with the

Barcombe Barcombe is an East Sussex village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Lewes (district), Lewes District of East Sussex. The parish has four settlements: old Barcombe (), the oldest settlement in the parish with the parish church; ...

and Chiddingly festivals on, respectively, the third and fourth Saturdays of November. Each society that holds an event will invite a number of other bonfire societies to participate in its torchlit procession. Although most Sussex Bonfire events are themed around the Gunpowder Plot and Guy Fawkes not all are. The Mayfield bonfire celebrations commemorate four Protestant martyrs that were burnt to death in the village, on a site opposite the current Colkins Mill Church in Station Road, on 24 September 1556. A stone monument to the Martyrs stands on the pavement outside the church grounds. Mayfield's torchlit procession and carnival takes place on the third Saturday in September (this being the nearest to 24 September) and it is widely considered to be the second largest torchlit procession (after Lewes) in terms of the number of participants (typically between 800 and 1,000 people participate in the procession). Four burning crosses are carried in the procession in memory of those martyred in the village in 1556. Another example is East Hoathly & Halland Carnival Society, whose event has a theme of military remembrance. It is held each year on the day before Remembrance Sunday and, unsurprisingly, the motto of EH&HCS is 'LEST WE FORGET'. The society has its roots in the celebrations that were held in East Hoathly on 11 November 1918 following the signing of the Armistice that brought the First World War to an end. Societies and processions can be broadly grouped into two main categories: Carnival and Bonfire. Typically, but not exclusively, certain characteristics apply to each group. Carnival societies generally hold more family-oriented evenings where people turn out to have fun and make merry with music and laughter. It is usually forbidden for fireworks to be ignited within the procession. Bonfire Societies, on the other hand, hold events that are often less family-oriented; typically featuring more drinking and debauchment with small fireworks (e.g. 'rookies' aka rook scarers) being liberally used by participants in the torchlit procession. Some bonfire events feature what is known as a 'clergy stand' where a member of the host society will dress as a senior Christian cleric (such as The Pope, a Cardinal or a Bishop), stand on a raised platform and then read a sermon whilst having lit rookies thrown at them. Two other members of the host society, dressed as subordinate clerics, are allowed to accompany the senior cleric on the stand and try to fend off the rookies with implements such as a lit torch or a cricket bat. This usually occurs before the bonfire is lit and the fireworks display takes place.

List of Bonfire Societies

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk
, accessed November 2009 – for more on these societies see

Lewes Bonfire Lewes Bonfire, or Bonfire for short, describes a set of celebrations held in the town of Lewes in Sussex, England, that constitute the United Kingdom's largest and most famous Bonfire Night festivities, with Lewes being called the bonfire capi ...

. ** Cliffe Bonfire Society ** Commercial Square Bonfire Society ** Lewes Borough Bonfire Society ** Nevill Juvenile Bonfire Society ** South Street Bonfire Society ** Southover Bonfire Society ** Waterloo Bonfire Society *

Bonfire Society *

Battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

(Battel Bonfire Boyes) * Bexhill Bonfire Society *

Burgess Hill Burgess Hill () is a town and civil parish in West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park, south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town, Chichester. ...

Bonfire Society *

Buxted Buxted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District, Wealden district of East Sussex in England. The parish is situated on the Weald, north of Uckfield; the settlements of Five Ash Down, Heron's Ghyll and High Hurstwood are included wit ...

Bonfire Society *

Chailey Chailey is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is located 7 miles north of Lewes, on the A272 road from Winchester to Canterbury. The Prime Meridian passes just to the east of Chailey. The parish consis ...

Bonfire Society *

Chiddingfold Chiddingfold is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Weald in the Waverley, Surrey, Waverley district of Surrey, England. It lies on the A283 road between Milford, Surrey, Milford and Petworth. The parish includes the h ...

Bonfire (Surrey) *

Chiddingly Chiddingly ( ) is an English village and civil parish in the Wealden District of the administrative county of East Sussex, within historic Sussex, some five miles (8 km) northwest of Hailsham. The parish is rural in character: it in ...

Parish Bonfire Society *

Crowborough Crowborough is a town and civil parish in East Sussex, England, in the Weald at the edge of Ashdown Forest and the highest town in the High Weald AONB, High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located south-west of Royal Tunbridge ...

Bonfire & Carnival Society *

Cuckfield Cuckfield ( ) is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Mid Sussex District, Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England, on the southern slopes of the Weald. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, and east northea ...

Bonfire Society * East Grinstead Community Bonfire (re-established 2022) *

East Hoathly East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that eas ...

Halland Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Skåne, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Br ...

Bonfire & Carnival Society *

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...

Bonfire Society * Edenbridge Bonfire Society (Kent) * Ewhurst & Staplecross Bonfire Society *

Firle Firle (; Sussex dialect: ''Furrel'' ) is a village and civil parish in the Lewes (district), Lewes district of East Sussex, England. Firle refers to an Old English word ''fierol'' meaning overgrown with oak. Although the original division of ...

Bonfire Society *

Fletching Fletching is the fin-shaped aerodynamic stabilization device attached on arrows, crossbow bolts, Dart (missile), darts, and javelins, typically made from light semi-flexible materials such as feathers or Bark (botany), bark. Each piece of such a ...

Bonfire Society *

Hailsham Hailsham is a town, a civil parish and the administrative centre of the Wealden district of East Sussex, England.OS Explorer map Eastbourne and Beachy Head Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Dat ...

Bonfire Society *

Borough Bonfire Society *

Hawkhurst Hawkhurst is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. The village is located close to the border with East Sussex, around south-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells and within the High Weald Area of Outstanding N ...

Gang Bonfire Society (dissolved in 2024) * Heathfield and District Bonfire Society *

Herstmonceux Herstmonceux ( , , or ) is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, which includes Herstmonceux Castle. The Herstmonceux Medieval Festival is held annually in August. History The name comes from Anglo-Sax ...

(The Merrie Harriers) *

Icklesham Icklesham is a village and civil parish in the Rother District, Rother district of East Sussex, England. The village is located about six miles (10 km) east of Hastings, on the main A259 Hastings to Rye, East Sussex, Rye road. The surround ...

(Robin Hood Bonfire Society) *

Isfield Isfield is a small village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England, located north-east of Lewes.OS Explorer map Eastbourne and Beachy Head Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publish ...

and Little Horsted Bonfire Society * Lindfield Bonfire Society *

Littlehampton Littlehampton is a town, seaside resort and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the English Channel on the eastern bank of the mouth of the River Arun. It is south south-west of London, west of Brighton and ...

Bonfire Society *

Maresfield Maresfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village itself lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north from Uckfield; the nearby villages of Nutley and Fairwarp; and the smaller settlements of D ...

Bonfire Society * Mayfield Bonfire Society (Mayfield Bonfire Boyes and Belles) *

Newhaven Newhaven is a port town in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. The town developed during the Middle Ages as the nearby port of Seaford began drying up, forcing a new port to be established. A ...

Bonfire Society *

Newick Newick is a village, civil parish and electoral ward in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is located on the A272 road east of Haywards Heath. The parish church, St. Mary's, dates mainly from the Victorian era, but still has a No ...

Bonfire Society *

Ninfield Ninfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is quite linear and centred 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Bexhill-on-Sea where two roads cross: the A269 from Bexhill to Battle and the ...

Bonfire Society *

Northiam Northiam is a village and civil parish in the Rother District, Rother district, in East Sussex, England, 13 miles (21 km) north of Hastings in the valley of the River Rother, East Sussex, River Rother. The A28 road to Ashford, Kent, Ashford ...

Bonfire Society *

Robertsbridge Robertsbridge is a village in the civil parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge, and the Rother district of East Sussex, England. It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Hastings and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Royal Tunbridg ...

Bonfire Society *

Rotherfield Rotherfield is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Wealden District, Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is one of the largest parishes in East Sussex. There are three villages in the parish: Rotherfield, Mark ...

& Mark Cross Bonfire Society *

Rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...

& District Bonfire Society - see

Rye Bonfire The Rye Bonfire, also known as the Great Rye Fawkes Pageant, is an annual bonfire event in Rye, East Sussex, England. Run by the Rye and District Bonfire Society, the event occurs in November and includes a town parade, fireworks, and a bonfire ...

for more information. * Seaford Bonfire Society *

Shoreham-by-Sea Shoreham-by-Sea (often shortened to Shoreham) is a coastal town and port in the Adur District, Adur district, in the county of West Sussex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 20,547. The town is bordered to its north by the South Downs, to ...

Bonfire Society *

South Heighton South Heighton is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is south of Lewes. In the 1890s the village's population grew from less than 100 to over 500 after a cement manufacturing plant opened nea ...

Bonfire Society *

Bonfire & Carnival Society * Vines Cross Bonfire Society *

Whatlington Whatlington is a village and civil parish in the Rother District, Rother district of East Sussex, England. The village is north of Hastings, just off the A21 road (England), A21 road. The village is in two parts, one in the valley on the road ...

Renegades * Who The Devil Are We Society *

Worthing Worthing ( ) is a seaside town and borough in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 113,094 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Br ...

Bonfire Society

Defunct Bonfire Societies

Arundel Arundel ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Arun District of the South Downs, West Sussex, England. The much-conserved town has a medieval castle and Roman Catholic cathedral. Arundel has a museum and comes second behind much la ...

Bonfire Boys Society *

Bognor Bognor Regis (), also known as Bognor, is a town and seaside resort in West Sussex on the south coast of England, south-west of London, west of Brighton, south-east of Chichester and east of Portsmouth. Other nearby towns include Littleham ...

Bonfire Society *

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

** Brighton Borough Bonfire Society ** Brighton Bonfire Boys *

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

Bonfire Society *

Clapham Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Ea ...

and

Patching Patching is a small village and civil parish that lies amid the fields and woods of the southern slopes of the South Downs in the National Park in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It has a visible hill-workings history going back t ...

Bonfire Club *

Crawley Crawley () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in West Sussex, England. It is south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Crawley covers an area of and had a populat ...

Bonfire society *

Old Town & Meads (boys) and Upperton & Southfields (girls) Bonfire Societies (circa 1980s) based at The Lamb in Eastbourne and incorporated with Waterloo BS and Commercial Square BS at The Lamb in Lewes * Five Ashes Bonfire Society * Hooe Bonfire Society *

Horsham Horsham () is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...

Bonfire Society *

** Town Bonfire Society **Landport Bonfire Society ** St Anne's Bonfire Society *

** Society based at the Blacksmiths Arms pub. ** Society based at the Jolly Sailor pub. ** Newhaven Carnival Society (which replaced the former two in 1902). ** Frog and Duck Bonfire Society (Newhaven) * Ridgewood Bonfire Society (Uckfield) * Shoreham Bonfire Boys

Bibliography

References

External links

*{{Commonscat-inline Organisations based in East Sussex Bonfires

Development

Organisation

List of Bonfire Societies

Defunct Bonfire Societies

See also

Bibliography

References

External links