Remember, remember: the legacy of the Gunpowder Plot

Historian John Cooper discusses the cultural legacy of the Gunpowder Plot – from Bonfire Night to V for Vendetta

A large outdoor bonfire blazes at night, sending sparks into the air as a crowd of silhouetted onlookers gathers in the foreground

Published: November 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM

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'Remember, remember the fifth of November…'. For more than 400 years, the Gunpowder Plot has been etched into Britain’s memory. In the final episode of our series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to John Cooper to trace how the failed conspiracy has been commemorated with sermons, bonfires and fireworks. They discuss how Guy Fawkes evolved from a doomed plotter and smouldering effigy into a global icon of rebellion. From the 1606 Act of Thanksgiving to raucous 17th- and 18th-century celebrations and Alan Moore’s graphic novel V for Vendetta, they reveal how a failed plot became a lasting cultural and political legend.

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Want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot? Danny Bird has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the religious tensions, political intrigue and lasting impact of this infamous act of treason. Go beyond the podcast.

John Cooper is the author of The Lost Chapel of Westminster: How a Royal Chapel Became the House of Commons (Apollo, 2024).

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Authors

Danny BirdContent producer

Danny Bird is a content producer at HistoryExtra

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