Lewes Fireworks . It's something to do with the Gunpowder plot in the Olden Days (1605) when Guy Fawkes and some other Catholic chaps tried to blow up nasty King James I, got caught and were severely dealt with! The Pope that's burnt at Lewes is not the nice current one, but the one who was around at the time Pope Paul V who wasn't so tolerant! The people of Lewes were particularly cross cos in 1557, during the rule of the Catholic Queen Mary, 17 Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. The burning crosses represent these guys. Them were the days!! Religion, eh? Instead of killing Catholics and Protestants, the citizens of today dress up and march to the War Memorial in the centre of the town to lay a wreath and stand in silence to remember those who lost their lives in the two world wars. And have some fun!