About Robertsbridge Bonfire Society
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society is a volunteer-led community organisation based in Robertsbridge, East Sussex.
The present society was reformed on 6 December 1990, but organised Bonfire in Robertsbridge can be traced back much further. The earliest records found by the society date to 1895, giving the village a documented Bonfire history stretching back more than 130 years.
Today, Robertsbridge Bonfire Society is based at The Robertsbridge Club and is known for its Cistercian Monk costume, the Robertsbridge Rabble, torchlit procession, Bonfire Prayers, large bonfire, effigy and fireworks display.
Its annual celebration traditionally takes place on the third weekend of November, making Robertsbridge one of the final major events of the season.
Bonfire in Robertsbridge Since 1895
The earliest records currently identified by Robertsbridge Bonfire Society date from 1895.
That early society did not continue uninterrupted.
In 1906, it was disbanded when street celebrations were restricted by the authorities.
Robertsbridge would have to wait more than three decades before another attempt was made to restore an organised society.
Reformed in 1938 – and Interrupted Again
In 1938, Robertsbridge Bonfire Society was reformed.
Unfortunately, the timing could hardly have been worse.
The following year brought the outbreak of the Second World War, and organised Bonfire once again came to an end.
The village then spent more than half a century without a permanent society before the tradition was finally revived at the beginning of the 1990s.
A Conversation at the George Inn
The modern Robertsbridge Bonfire Society began with a conversation in a pub.
In 1990, John Goldsmith and Kate Noble were talking one evening in the George Inn when the idea of bringing Robertsbridge Bonfire back to life was raised.
John Goldsmith had previously been Vice-Chairman of Battel Bonfire Boyes before leaving to help reform the Robertsbridge society.
The idea quickly gathered momentum.
On 6 December 1990, Robertsbridge Bonfire Society was officially reformed.
That revival began the continuous modern chapter of the society’s history.
The Cistercian Monks
The primary costume of Robertsbridge Bonfire Society is particularly well connected with the history of the village.
Members dress as Cistercian Monks, wearing a white habit with a black tabard.
The choice makes immediate historical sense.
Robertsbridge developed around Robertsbridge Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded in the twelfth century. The settlement itself takes its name from that medieval foundation.
The monk costume therefore gives the society an identity rooted directly in Robertsbridge rather than simply adopting a generic historical theme.
It is one of the best examples of a society costume reflecting the place it represents.
The Robertsbridge Rabble
The society’s second distinctive costume group is the Robertsbridge Rabble.
The Rabble was formed in 1995, five years after the modern society was revived.
Members wear top hats and tail coats, creating a very different look from the white habits of the Cistercian Monks.
Together, the two groups give Robertsbridge Bonfire Society a strong visual identity when members appear at celebrations elsewhere.
The society also lists Romans as the costume for Salehurst, adding another historical theme associated with the wider area.
Robertsbridge Bonfire Night
The annual Robertsbridge celebration traditionally takes place on the third weekend of November and is the largest public event held in the village.
The day begins early.
At 7am, a maroon is traditionally fired to signal the beginning of Bonfire Day, while members start preparing the Recreation Ground.
The procession itself begins from the station during the evening and travels through Robertsbridge before reaching the Recreation Ground.
There, members and visiting societies gather around the bonfire before Robertsbridge Bonfire Society leads the traditional Bonfire Prayers.
The fire is then lit, followed by the society’s grand fireworks display and effigy.
The Recreation Ground
The Robertsbridge Recreation Ground, beside The Clappers, has become central to the society’s modern celebration.
It serves as the firesite and fireworks location, providing an open space close to the centre of the village.
Salehurst & Robertsbridge Parish Council specifically identifies the annual Bonfire and fireworks display as one of the major events held on the Recreation Ground.
For spectators, the surrounding roads and bridges provide views of the fire and fireworks while the firesite itself remains reserved for participating societies and event personnel.
When the Village Flooded
Robertsbridge’s location beside the River Rother means flooding has occasionally caused serious problems for Bonfire.
In 2002, flooding prevented the society from using the Recreation Ground.
Rather than cancel entirely, members scaled the celebration back to a token bonfire, while the fireworks were relocated to Salehurst Primary School and the area in front of the George Inn.
The society faced an even more dramatic challenge in 2023, when the Recreation Ground was reportedly under three feet of water only 18 hours before setup was due to begin.
The event still went ahead.
The society records the episode with the familiar Sussex phrase:
“We Wunt be Druv!”
The Video Effigy
Robertsbridge has also developed a reputation for experimenting with its effigies and pyrotechnics.
For the society’s 25th modern celebration in 2015, members marked the occasion with what the society describes as a ground-breaking video effigy.
The idea proved successful enough that in 2018 the Robertsbridge effigy and pyrotechnics team was commissioned to produce a video effigy at Alexandra Palace.
That is a remarkable achievement for a village Bonfire society and demonstrates the technical expertise developed within the membership.
Firework Champions
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society also has a notable record in competitive pyrotechnics.
In 2016, the society became the first Inter-Bonfire Firework Champions.
The title reflects the important role fireworks have played in the modern society.
Rather than simply purchasing a display and leaving the rest to an outside company, specialist members have developed considerable knowledge of pyrotechnics, effigy effects and display design.
That expertise has become one of Robertsbridge Bonfire Society’s defining modern strengths.
Bonfire During the Pandemic
Like societies across the country, Robertsbridge was unable to hold its normal celebration in 2020.
However, members were determined that the village should not pass the year without any recognition of Bonfire.
Although the full public event was cancelled, Robertsbridge Bonfire Society still provided a fireworks display for the village.
It was another occasion when the society invoked its familiar determination:
“We Wunt be Druv!”
Every Penny Back into the Community
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society describes supporting the local community as one of its central purposes.
The society states that every penny collected on Bonfire Night goes back into Robertsbridge and the immediate community through local charities and organisations.
That means the money in the official street collectors’ buckets has a purpose beyond staging the following year’s celebration.
The society has to raise the money required for Bonfire separately through fundraising activities held throughout the year.
This distinction allows the enormous public turnout on Bonfire Night to generate direct support for organisations within the village.
Fundraising Throughout the Year
The annual celebration is free to attend, so year-round fundraising is essential.
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society organises events and activities to generate the money required for the procession, bonfire, fireworks and associated costs.
These include seasonal raffles and other fundraising activities arranged by members.
The work continues long before November arrives.
Equipment has to be prepared, the fire organised, the procession planned and the substantial safety and logistical requirements of a large public event managed by a volunteer organisation.
Supporting Other Societies
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society is also a familiar sight away from home.
Members travel to celebrations elsewhere and have long-established relationships with neighbouring societies.
The society is confirmed among the visiting organisations taking part in Hastings Bonfire in 2026, while Rye & District Bonfire Society specifically acknowledges help received from Robertsbridge and Hastings in staging its own celebration.
Robertsbridge has also travelled further afield.
Reports from Lewes record the society attending celebrations there, including Commercial Square’s procession in 2003.
These outmeetings allow Robertsbridge to support the societies that, in turn, help fill its own November procession.
Membership
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society actively welcomes new members.
The organisation is run entirely by volunteers and depends upon people willing to contribute both during the procession and behind the scenes.
Members can take part in the Cistercian Monk or Rabble ranks, travel to outmeetings and become involved with fundraising and event preparation.
There are also specialist roles covering areas including the bonfire, fireworks, collectors and health and safety, illustrating the wide range of skills needed to organise the celebration.
The society’s headquarters at The Robertsbridge Club on Station Road provides a permanent base for this activity.
Robertsbridge Bonfire 2026
The 2026 Robertsbridge Bonfire celebration takes place on Saturday 21 November.
The traditional maroon signals the beginning of Bonfire Day at 7am.
The evening procession is expected to begin at around 7:15pm, reaching the Recreation Ground at approximately 8:30pm.
Bonfire Prayers follow before the fire is lit at around 8:45pm, with the Grand Fireworks Display and effigy beginning at approximately 9pm.
As one of the latest celebrations in the calendar, Robertsbridge provides a fitting conclusion to the autumn season.
From the Cistercians to the Robertsbridge Rabble
Robertsbridge Bonfire Society has a history of repeated disappearance and revival.
An organised society existed by 1895, only to be disbanded in 1906. It returned in 1938, but the outbreak of war halted it again almost immediately.
Then, more than half a century later, a conversation between John Goldsmith and Kate Noble in the George Inn led to the society being formally revived on 6 December 1990.
Since then, Robertsbridge has created a strong identity of its own.
The Cistercian Monks connect the society directly with the medieval abbey from which the village grew, while the Robertsbridge Rabble provides a contrasting costume tradition. The society has pioneered video effigies, won the first Inter-Bonfire Firework Championship and repeatedly overcome flooding and other challenges to keep the celebration alive.
Most importantly, the money collected on Bonfire Night continues to return to local organisations and charities.
More than 130 years after the earliest known Robertsbridge society, and more than 35 years after its modern revival, Robertsbridge Bonfire Society continues to combine village history, pyrotechnic creativity and community fundraising in a celebration unmistakably its own.