Sunday Snap – Gunpowder, treason and plot

We were in Wales for last week's Sunday Snap and looking at the two sports stadiums in Cardiff. I asked what year the Millennium Stadium hosted the Rugby Union World Cup Final and the answer is

1999

The rugby fans, sports historians and lucky guessers with the right answer were Cheryl, Jen, and Susan. For those with no interest in rugby I can finally confirm the Rugby World Cup is finally over. Only another four years to go until Japan...

Now we're into November we are looking at the scene of one of the most famous incidents in British history. By the start of the 17^th century England was a full-on Protestant nation – on the surface. Despite Henry VIII's best efforts to rid the country of Catholicism there were many people still practising the 'old faith'. Unhappy that the incumbent monarch wasn't very sympathetic towards those wishing to display their Catholic faith openly a plan was hatched to blow up the Houses of Parliament with the King inside it. In the months before the King was due to attend the State Opening of Parliament on 5^th November 1605 a group of conspirators managed to rent a property next to the Houses of Parliament which had a cellar that ran directly under of the House of Lords.

The conspirators enlisted the support of Guy Fawkes who had been fighting for the Spanish Army in Flanders. Fawkes came from old Yorkshire Catholic family and was ready and willing to help with the plan. It was to be Fawkes' job to light the fuse that led to the 36 barrels of gunpowder that had been smuggled into the cellar. Once lit Fawkes was going to run out of the cellar and then head abroad. What the conspirators hadn't planned for was that an anonymous letter was sent to Lord Monteagle on 26^th October warning him not to attend the opening. He passed it onto Earl Salisbury who was one of the King's ministers. It was decided to wait until the night before the Opening to search the cellars. During the first one they found a suspiciously large quantity of firewood. Just before midnight a second search found Guy Fawkes complete with pocket watch, slow match and touchwood.

Over the following days the rest of the conspirators were rounded up. Fawkes was tortured, put on trial and sent to be hung, drawn and quartered. Whilst standing with a noose around his neck at the gallows Fawkes jumped from the platform breaking his neck but escaping the excruciating agony of the rest of the execution. For Catholics in England though the result of the failed plot meant that further restrictive laws were passed including exclusion from serving in the Army or Navy and the ability to vote in Parliamentary elections. The Houses of Parliament standing today is not the building that Fawkes hoped to blow up. In the 1834 the rather dilapidated structure caught fire and over a number of years the current New Palace was constructed.

The reason that the failed exploits are still celebrated to this day with fireworks and bonfires is that the year after a law known as the Observance of 5^th November Act was introduced. This enforced a national day of thanksgiving for the failure of the plot and was known at first as Gunpowder Treason Day. Special church services were held on the day and the fashion for bonfires and fireworks to be lit spread. This law was not repealed until 1859 but by then the commemorations had become a popular and commercial event. All that is left is to ask...

Which king did Guy Fawkes hope to blow up?

We were joined last week by Susan and a spot of autumn fun. Snoskred was tempted by lots of lovely things. For once Cheryl's trio were playing nicely in the park. Sophie has been exploring caves. Down at the beach Sue has been capturing the sunrise. Finally, it was a night out on the town for Kara's crew.

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