Impressive storytelling depicts gunpowder plot

FERRING History Group members were entertained by an animated and professional presentation on the historic Gunpowder Plot.

The story of the conspiracy to blow up King James and the House of Lords in 1605 was presented by tour guides Tony and Lizzie Gilks on November 7.

Group member Eileen Godfrey said: “With their usual flair and animation, in costume and with impressive props.

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“They added life and detail to a story we all think we know well.”

The group was told Guido Fawkes was the ‘fall guy’, caught in the act of preparing the explosives but his 12 conspirators were also caught.

Conspirators included Robert Percy and Robert Catesby.

They were Catholics who feared the reintroduction of penal legislation.

Fawkes was brought in as an explosives expert, having served as an artilleryman in the Spanish army.

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The attack on King and Parliament was intended for February but an outbreak of plague delayed the opening of Parliament to November.

This made it much harder to keep the secret and eventually spymaster Robert Cecil found out.

The Parliament building was searched and almost a ton of gunpowder was found in a store room, tended by a man who named himself as John Johnson.

After 10 days of torture. he admitted his name was Guido Fawkes. He and his conspirators were hung, drawn and quartered.

Eileen said: “The highlight of the evening was the production, from an old sack, of Guy’s head impaled on a spike.“

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