About Southover Bonfire Society

Southover Bonfire Society is based in the historic Southover area of Lewes and forms part of the town’s celebrated bonfire community.

The society brings together local people and bonfire enthusiasts who work throughout the year to organise events, raise funds and prepare for the Fifth of November.

While Southover has its own identity and traditions, it also forms part of the wider network of Sussex bonfire societies whose members support one another at celebrations throughout the autumn.

The Annual Bonfire Celebrations

The Fifth is the biggest night of Southover’s year.

Members take part in the spectacular torchlit processions through Lewes, wearing traditional society dress and Pioneer costumes while carrying banners, torches and ceremonial pieces.

The celebrations form part of Lewes’s long-standing commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and remembrance of the 17 Protestant martyrs burned in the town during the reign of Mary I.

Southover’s participation adds another distinctive element to an evening in which each of Lewes’s societies contributes its own traditions and character.

Community and Tradition

The strength of Southover Bonfire Society comes from the community that surrounds it.

Members dedicate time throughout the year to fundraising, preparation and society activities. They also travel to celebrations elsewhere in Sussex, supporting fellow bonfire societies and participating in the wider county tradition.

This year-round activity means that Bonfire is not simply an event held each November. It is a community that brings people together through shared traditions, friendships and a commitment to keeping the Fifth alive.

Membership

Southover welcomes people who want to become involved and contribute to the future of the society.

Members can participate in processions, attend events, support fundraising and help with the practical work required to stage the celebrations.

Encouraging new generations to participate is particularly important, allowing traditions and knowledge built up over many years to continue into the future.

Supporting Southover

Southover Bonfire Society depends upon the dedication of volunteers and the support of its members and wider community.

Fundraising and volunteering help meet the costs associated with the celebrations and enable the society to continue participating in events throughout the bonfire season.

Through that support, Southover continues to bring its own character to the streets of Lewes each November and helps ensure that the traditions of Sussex Bonfire remain a vibrant part of community life.