Hastings Borough Bonfire Society

The Sussex Bonfire Societies are responsible for the series of bonfire festivals around Central/Eastern Sussex along with bits of Surrey and Kent from September - November.

The focal point of the bonfire tradition is Lewes which has seven separate societies. On the 5 November the town hosts six separate bonfires. The bonfire night celebrations mark both Guy Fawkes Night and the burning of 17 Protestant martyrs in Lewes High Street from 1555 to 1557, during the reign of Mary Tudor, though the sectarian aspects pass most people by. Respects may be paid to the dead of both World wars.

As far as Mayfield and its bonfire celebrations are concerned, not only were two of the Lewes Martyrs from the village, but on 24th September 1556 four further martyrs were executed in the village on a site opposite the current Colkins Mill Church in Station Road, which has a stone monument to the Martyrs in its gardens. Furthermore, as far as fitting in with the celebrations of other local societies allows, Mayfield's torchlit procession and carnival always take place on the Saturday nearest to 24th September.

Traditionally Guy Fawkes' night in England was celebrated by large communal bonfires and celebrations, but in most parts of the country this has withered to family bonfires and large public fireworks displays. No one really knows why the tradition has remained so strong in Sussex, but it is the highlight of the year for many towns and villages in the area, with not only fires, but parades and festivals. The Bonfire Societies also collect money at their events for local charities.

The logistical requirements of organising such events (planning often starts as early as February) has led the Societies to band together and take part in each other's bonfires. This much improves the associated parade, with large festivals like Lewes and Hastings going on late into the night. A consequence of such collaboration was that it became impractical to hold most bonfires on the traditional 5th November, so the season was extended over ten weeks starting with the Uckfield Carnival on the first Saturday of September and concluding with Robertsbridge and Barcombe on the third Saturday of November.