2005 is the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, one of the most notorious plots in history. On Tuesday 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellars below the Houses of Parliament with a watch, a slow match, touch paper and a dark lantern. It became known as the Gunpowder plot and was part of a Catholic revolutionary plan to overthrow King James I of England and VI of Scotland.

The country was in turmoil after more than 50 years of Elizabethan protestant rule. A little over two years before a number of Catholics had been involved in what came to be known as the Main Plot and the Bye Plot to rid England of its Protestant king.

Fundamentally the Gunpowder Plot was a desperate but failed attempt by a group of provincial English Catholic extremists to kill King James I of England, his family, and most of the Protestant aristocracy in one go. They would achieve this by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening. The conspirators had then planned to abduct the royal children, not present in parliament, and then incite a revolt in the Midlands.

There were 13 men involved in the Gunpowder plot of 1605. Robert Catesby was the ringleader. His servant Thomas Bates assisted him. Among the rest were brothers Thomas and Robert Wintour, Christopher Wright, Thomas Percy, John Grant, Ambrose Rokewood, Sir Everard Digby, Francis Tresham and of course Guy Fawkes.

Born in York on 13th April 1570 to a Protestant family Guy Fawkes converted to Catholicism when he was 16. He spent time in the army and as a mercenary and became an expert on explosives. He became involved in the Gunpowder plot when Hugh Owen introduced him to Robert Catesby. They needed his knowledge of explosives to set up a huge blast that would kill not only the King but also most of the Protestant Parliament.

The conspirators managed to rent a cellar directly under the House of Lords. Over the course of a few months Guy Fawkes filled this until by March 1605 there were 2 ½ tonnes of gunpowder in 36 barrels belonging to John Whynniard that were hidden under piles of bric-a-brac and behind stacks winter fuel.

If the Gunpowder plot had succeeded then the resulting explosion would have destroyed many of the buildings around the Old Palace of Westminster. The windows of buildings in about a half-mile radius would have been blown out and many people would have been killed.

The problem with the Gunpowder plot was that a large number of people had to know about it. Of course the more people that know the greater the chance of discovery. Some of the conspirators were also concerned about their friends who would be in Parliament for the State Opening. One of them, perhaps Francis Tresham, wrote a letter to Lord Monteagle, a prominent Catholic, to warn him not to attend Parliament.

Although worried by the possibility of betrayal, they decided that they would still go ahead with their plan after Guy Fawkes inspected the cellar but found that nothing had been touched. Meanwhile, however, Monteagle had shown the letter to Robert Cecil, the Secretary of State.

From this point on the Gunpowder plot was doomed. Early in the morning of 5th November a party of armed men discovered Fawkes posing as a Mr John Johnson. In his possession he had a watch, slow matches and touchpaper. A more thorough search revealed the barrels of gunpowder and Fawkes was arrested for stating that it had been his purpose to destroy the King and the Parliament.

Guy Fawkes was later questioned again, this time under torture. The Gunpowder plot was uncovered. The planned revolt in the Midlands also failed, and came to an end at Holbeach House, where there was a dramatic shoot out ending with the death of Catesby, and capture of several principal conspirators.

After nominal trial, at which the sentences had already been predetermined, Fawkes, Wintour, and a number of others implicated in the conspiracy were taken to Old Palace Yard in Westminster, where they were hanged, drawn and quartered.

According to research by modern historians the gunpowder was taken to the Tower of London magazine. It would have been reissued or sold for recycling if in good condition. However, it was discovered to be "decayed". That is, it rendered harmless due to having separated into its component chemical parts, as happens with gunpowder when left to sit for too long.

If Guy Fawkes had managed to ignite the gunpowder, during the State opening, it would only have resulted in a damp splutter.

People in general knew very little of the circumstances surrounding the Gunpowder plot. All they knew was that their king had been saved from a terrible death. On the night of 5th November 1605 bonfires were set alight to celebrate the King’s safety. The fireworks of course represent the explosion that would have ensued if the plan had been successful. Later effigies of Guy Fawkes were added to the bonfires until the traditional events that we now know as Bonfire Night appeared.

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Lesley Pinkett lives and works in East Devon. Find out more about this beautiful area by visiting http://www.east-devon-guide.com.

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