Heads on poles

If you're squeamish, don't read this page. This is the bit where we tell you what happened to Catesby, Percy, Fawkes and the rest of the gang, and it involves lots and lots of blood.

Last we heard of Catesby he was racing across the countryside on a stolen horse with a handful of the other plotters. Rumour has it that they tried to dry out some damp gunpowder next to their camp fire... not a clever thing to do. The powder exploded (what did they expect?) injuring the men. Their luck was running out.

On the morning of November 8th 1605, troops caught up with the gang at Holbeach House in Staffordshire. There was a shoot-out - Catesby, Percy and both Wright brothers were killed.

Over the next few days all of the other plotters were captured and taken to London - all except Robert Winter, who wasn't caught until January 1606.

Eight of the plotters, including Fawkes, were tried in court in London and sentenced to death for treason. One of the most important reasons for killing the plotters was to make an example of them. This picture shows the execution of Guy Fawkes and three of his fellow plotters.

Warning: this is full of very gory details about hanging, drawing and quartering.

Warhafftige unnd eygentliche beschreibung der allerschreklisten und grawsamsten Verratherey (Frankfurt, 1606). By permission of the British Library.

The plotters' punishments didn't end after death. Look at the picture below to see what happened next.

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A Thankefull Remembrance of God's Mercie (1630), George Carleton, By Permission of the British LibraryCatesby and Percy's heads were stuck on spikes on top of Parliament House for all to see, as a warning that treason wasn't a good idea!

Go to Card 12 to find out how we remember these exciting and dangerous times, more than four hundred years on.