Bonfire society set to celebrate 120 years

Lindfield Bonfire Society to mark 120th anniversary SUS-140619-105923001

The history of bonfire in Lindfield is a long and interesting story, and Lindfield Bonfire Society are proud to be celebrating their 120th Anniversary in 2014 with a party at the King Edward Hall in Lindfield on Saturday June 28 between 7.30pm and 11.45pm.

Tickets are priced at £10 each to include live music, a disco, finger buffet, and we will also be drawing our Grand Prize Raffle on the night.

A huge selection of prizes include members enclosure tickets the the Longines Horse Show at Hickstead, family tickets for the Bluebell Railway, and Dinner vouchers for the Bent Arms, Stand Up Inn, Red Lion and Paolino’s.

Music is being provided by Sounds Wicked Disco, The Stinky Bishops, Sharon Wright and Paul Burris. Tickets for both the party and the raffle may be purchased from SWALK in Lindfield High Street and Sarah Lacey Drycleaning, 1 College Road, Haywards Heath.

Lindfield Bonfire Society to mark 120th anniversary SUS-140619-105934001

The people of Sussex have been lighting ceremonial bonfires since Celtic times, originally on the eve of Samhain on November 1st at summer’s end.

In the ninth century the Christian Church adopted the date as All Saints Day, and Samhain became All Hallows E’en, or Halloween as it is now, which is still celebrated with the lighting of candles in hollowed out pumpkins.

Following the discovery of the gunpowder plot and its attempt to blow up the King James I and his Parliament, a night of celebration was decreed on November 5.

The tradition of burning the Guy doubtless predates this as the burning of effigies goes back much farther in time, and Guy Fawkes was actually executed by being hung drawn and quartered.

By the 1850’s, there were three bonfires in Lindfield High Street, on the Common, outside the Bent Arms and in front of The Red Lion. Anything the bonfire boys could lay their hands on would be burnt, especially firewood stacked outside the houses lining the High Street.

Tar barrels would also be set alight and rolled down the Street. The bonfire boys would wear a Smuggler’s dress of white trousers and striped sweater continuing the tradition of the men who regularly smuggled tobacco, brandy, silk and lace up from the river Ouse to Paxhill House.

Local folklore also holds that there is still a smuggler’s tunnel from the Ouse to the Bent Arms cellar that passes through the churchyard.

Ordinarily, the Police stood by and allowed the riotous behaviour to continue, unable or unwilling to interfere.

The authorities usually had the gates outside the Toll house removed for safe keeping on November 5, but in 1884 the road was converted into a Parish road and the tolls were abolished.