THOUSANDS descend on Lewes each year for the legendary bonfire celebrations. The costumes, props, songs and smells are a feast for the senses. But what are the origins of this weird and wonderful event? Reporter BEN JAMES looks back.

ON November 5 1605, Guy Fawkes and his band of Catholic activists launched the most audacious attack on the English establishment for centuries.

Their target was King James I - but Fawkes was caught ferrying barrels of gunpowder into the House of Lords. He was tortured and killed.

The incredible events of that day are the inspiration behind thousands of bonfire events across the country. By far the most famous is in Lewes.

A year after the failed assassination attempt, Parliament declared the day a holiday of thanksgiving.

Lewes bonfire was undoubtedly born out of this. However, it was not until 1679 that a Benjamin Harris recorded an account of events taking place in the town.

In his piece he reported an anti-papal procession parading through the streets of Lewes, participants dressed in mock religious regalia and carrying a papal effigy.

The event grew and continued into the 1700s with effigies of the pope and the devil being particular favourites.

There are reports of large scale bonfire celebrations in the town in the local press towards the end of the century, with the Sussex Weekly Advertiser reporting a bonfire and fireworks in a street near the Old Start Inn, where the town hall now stands.

These early celebrations would have been lively affairs with fires in the streets and homemade fireworks, known as squibs and rousers, thrown around.

Bonfire Boys soon became the enemy of the authorities and the police attempted to crackdown on their antics.

In 1806, 18 were arrested with fires put out by police around the town.

In 1829 there was a near riot when the Lewes Bonfire Boys had a sharp encounter with a magistrate called Mr Whitfield on Cliffe Bridge.

Three years later the police went a step further and tried to prevent the celebrations taking place altogether.

Officers issued hundreds of the prohibition notices in town but locals took no notice and continued anyway.

One of the most notable celebrations though was in 1847 when there was a full scale riot.

This was despite dozens of officers being drafted in from the Metropolitan Police. Officers are said to have charged revellers causing numerous injuries and leading to scores of arrests.

Fearing the event would be stopped, the Bonfire Boys decided to form the first two Bonfire Societies: Cliffe and Town (now Lewes Borough).

They have remained to this day and have been joined by Commercial Square, Southover, South Street, Waterloo and Nevill Juvenile.

However, the new century brought new troubles for the event with police banning bonfires in the street and the dragging of burning tar barrels.

As in years gone by, the Bonfire Boys ignored the orders from above and carried on regardless.

In 1906 four arrests were made as a result – resulting in a large group of Bonfire Boys marching on the town’s police station.

Outside they lit a bonfire and demanded the release of their friends.

In 1992, the Lewes war memorial was built on the site of the old St Nicholas Church.

Designed by Canadian sculptor Vernon March it features the names of those from the town who died in the First and Second World Wars.

Ever since the memorial has played a key role in the celebrations with the societies joining together to remember the dead.

Little has changed in the 400 years of the Lewes Bonfire, with one notable exception.

Gone are the effigies of the Pope and the devil. Recent figures of hate have included Lance Armstrong, George W Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.