‘Talk - The History of Cliffe Bonfire Society

When I was younger, there was no choice on Bonfire Night. It had to be Cliffe. The walk up the steep path to the old firesite in Malling, a natural amphitheatre where three mad bishops stood in front of burning crosses reading scriptures and dodging bangers. The mayhem of whooping smugglers leaping through flames and drunken teenagers, sliding down banks. The vast bonfire, the madly exploding effigies. The smell of paraffin and the deafening rat-a-tat of rookies. The walk back, down to the grassy bank, where everyone met up to go to midnight prayers, each with a tale to tell.

Every bonfire society in Lewes has its own unique personality. If Cliffe were a person they would be called Jack, and they would drink their whisky neat, in a single gulp. This is the proudest, (arguably) the oldest and by far the most raucous society in town. Proud to march on their own, in their own part of town, proud to march under the ‘No Popery’ banner which saw them banned from the Grand Union procession. If any single entity epitomises the independent, hard-working and anarchic spirit of Cliffe, it is the districts’ bonfire society. Dr. Jim Etherington, author of the book ‘Lewes Bonfire Night’ will be giving a talk about the group’s 150-plus year history, as part of Cliffe’s Independence Day celebrations. AL