Remember, remember the fifth of November… While most Londoners today associate this date with fireworks and bonfires, in 1605 it nearly marked one of the most dramatic events in the city’s history – the day Parliament, along with King James I and much of England’s ruling class, was almost blown sky-high.
The Gunpowder Plot arose from the religious tensions simmering in early 17th-century England. Catholics faced increasing persecution under Protestant rule, and a group of disgruntled Catholic gentlemen decided drastic action was needed. Their ambitious plan? To blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament, kill the King and his heir, and install a Catholic monarch instead.
The conspirators, led by Robert Catesby, rented a cellar directly beneath the House of Lords – a move that seems remarkably easy by today’s security standards! Over several months, they managed to smuggle in 36 barrels of gunpowder, enough to reduce Parliament to rubble. The man placed in charge of this explosive stockpile was Guy Fawkes, chosen for his military experience with explosives gained fighting in the Spanish Netherlands.
What’s often forgotten is that Fawkes wasn’t the plot’s ringleader – he was more like the technical expert brought in to handle the demolition work. The real mastermind was Robert Catesby, a charismatic Catholic gentleman who had convinced a small group of conspirators that such extreme measures were necessary.
The plot might well have succeeded if not for an anonymous letter sent to Lord Monteagle, warning him to avoid Parliament’s opening. This mysterious missive (which some historians believe was sent by Monteagle’s brother-in-law, one of the conspirators) set alarm bells ringing. A search was ordered, and just before midnight on November 4th, Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellar, surrounded by suspicious barrels and carrying matches.
What followed was a dramatic chase across London as authorities hunted down the other conspirators. Fawkes was taken to the Tower of London for interrogation – you can still see his signature on his confession, signed after several days of torture, showing how his handwriting deteriorated as the questioning progressed.
The plotters who escaped London didn’t fare much better. Most were either killed resisting arrest or captured and brought back to face trial. Their executions in January 1606 were particularly gruesome, even by 17th-century standards – they were hanged, drawn, and quartered in full public view at St Paul’s Churchyard and Old Palace Yard, Westminster.
London’s reaction to the plot was explosive (pun intended). Anti-Catholic sentiment reached fever pitch, and new laws were introduced making life even harder for Catholics. The city celebrated its deliverance with bonfires and festivities – the origin of today’s Bonfire Night traditions.
The plot left its mark on London in various ways. The Houses of Parliament still maintain the tradition of searching their cellars before the State Opening, though today it’s more ceremonial than practical. The Yeoman of the Guard, complete with Tudor uniforms and lanterns, perform this duty annually.
Some fascinating traces of the plot survive in modern London. You can visit the Hung, Drawn and Quartered pub near Tower Hill, its grim name recalling the plotters’ fate. The spot where several conspirators met their end is marked by a plaque in Old Palace Yard. And of course, the Tower of London, where Fawkes was interrogated, still stands as imposingly as ever.
The plot also gave us some memorable London folklore. One tale claims that Guy Fawkes only intended to blow up the Protestant part of Parliament – a geographical impossibility that shows how myths can grow around historical events. Another claims that November 5th was chosen because the Thames would be at high tide, making escape by boat easier – though this was probably just coincidence.
Today, while Londoners still “remember, remember the fifth of November,” few realize how close their city came to witnessing one of history’s most spectacular acts of terrorism. The Gunpowder Plot may have failed, but it left an indelible mark on London’s history and continues to fascinate more than four centuries later. Perhaps its enduring legacy is a reminder that London has survived many threats throughout its history, emerging each time with its spirit – and dark sense of humor – intact.