Gunpowder, Treason and Plot
Format: Video
These resources are are designed to support Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, and Key Stage 4 students learn about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.
Discover stories, artifacts and locations connected to the event, as well as classroom activities.
The resources include:
- dramatised video of the story of the Gunpowder Plot
- explore the room that Guy Fawkes was interrogated in
- image bank
- resource pack
- background notes and articles.
Resource Information
Key Stage
- Home Educators
- KS2 (age 7-11)
- KS3 (age 11-14)
- KS4 (age 15-16)
- KS5 (age 16+)
Subjects
- English
- History
Topic
- Crime & Punishment
- Stuarts
Type
- Biographies & Fact sheets
- Games & Quizzes
- Videos
- Images
Palace
- Tower of London
The Story of Guy Fawkes Video
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Manage CookiesIdeal for the classroom, this dramatised video explores the twists and turns of the Gunpowder Plot.
- What was the Gunpowder Plot?
- What led to it?
- Who was involved?
- What was the plan?
- Why did it fail?
- What happened next?
Explore the Tower of London
Take a look around the room where Guy Fawkes was interrogated.
Welcome to the Council Chamber in the King's House at the Tower of London. Guy Fawkes was taken here after he was captured on the 5th November. Take a look around using the arrow and click-and-drag functions on your device.
It was in this space, in 1605, that the Guy Fawkes and the other plotters were interrogated by the Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir William Waad.
Waad had a fearsome reputation for investigating Catholic rebels. He also was in charge of torture at the Tower, including Guy Fawkes.
Eventually Guy Fawkes confessed to his part in the scheme to assassinate King James I by blowing up parliament with gunpowder.
Descriptions of the room made in the 1800s suggest that it may once have been decorated with terrifying wall paintings.
“The walls of this ominous chamber are painted over with representations of men inflicting and suffering torture in various shapes”. 1850
The wall paintings no longer survive so we can only guess what they looked like and when they were painted. Perhaps they were there to scare prisoners into confessions.
Questions
- Which parts of the room might be original Tudor features?
- Which parts of the room might have been added later?
- What objects are on display in this room?
Answers
- The wooden beams in the walls and ceiling reflect original Tudor features. The size and shape of the windows and door are also likely to be similar to the original features.
- The floor is a later addition. The fireplace and furniture (including the fire extinguisher!) have also been added more recently.
- There is lots of artwork on display in this room including a memorial celebrating the failure of the gunpowder plot and a wooden portrait of King James VI and I. Find out more about these in the image bank below.
Image Bank
A selection of images from the Tower of London relating to the Gunpowder Plot. These images can be saved individually or the set can be downloaded as a PowerPoint file.
This graffiti was made by one of the plotters, Ambrose Rookwood.
Rookwood was imprisoned in the Tower before being taken to Westminster in January 1606 to be hanged, drawn and quartered for his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. During his imprisonment, he carved his name into the wall of the Martin Tower, where it can still be seen today.
The King's House, looking South West across Tower Green, with The Shard beyond. The King's House is one of the few timber-framed domestic buildings that has survived the Great Fire of 1666, and in time it has become associated with infamous prisoners kept at the Tower.
Inside the Council Chamber, King’s House at the Tower of London. This is the location of Guy Fawkes’ interrogation.
Guy Fawkes signature before and after he was tortured and questioned about his part in the Gunpowder Plot.
This monument is in the Council Chamber of the King’s House at the Tower of London. It was created to commemorate the defeat of the Gunpowder Plot (created 1608). The Latin texts praise the King and his family, and the Privy Councillors who foiled the Plot. It also condemns the wickedness of the plotters, whose names are listed.
However, the monument also had another, more sinister, purpose. The Council Chamber was designed as a room in which to interrogate prisoners and the monument acted as a warning that uncooperative prisoners could suffer the same grisly fate as the Gunpowder Plotters.
Close up of the Gunpowder Plot monument, showing the plotters’ names.
This is a carved stone portrait of King James the VI and I (1566-1625). It is located in the King’s House at the Tower of London. It shows King James VI and I in half relief wearing a wide brimmed hat with an ostrich feather and the Three Brothers jewel.
The date of the carving is not recorded, but it is possible it was created around the same time as a large marble monument that commemorated the defeat of the Gunpowder Plot (created 1608).
The illustration shows: Thomas Bates (1567-1606), Robert Catesby (1573-1605), Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), Thomas Percy (1560-1605), Robert Winter (1568-1606), Thomas Winter (1572-1606), Christopher Wright (1570?-1605) and John Wright (1568?-1605)
From 'Old and New London: A Narrative of its History, its People and its Places', Vol II by Walter Thornbury, 1872-8.
Image Bank PowerPoint
A PowerPoint file containing the images. Please see the 'Notes' on each slide for background information.
Guy Fawkes Activity Ideas
This teacher's resource provides contextual background on monarchy, religion and society in Britain at the time of the Gunpowder Plot; and ideas for extending learning in the classroom.
Background information and deeper study
Resources to support advance students with deeper study or to provide background information to teachers.
Extra reading
An article about Guy Fawkes and the events that took place at the Tower of London.
Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder PlotFacts and figures
An article from the Houses of Parliament providing facts and figures about the Gunpowder Plot.
Gunpowder Plot facts and figures on Houses of ParliamentHear from the experts
A 25 minute podcast with curator Alden Gregory that takes you behind-the-scenes into the King’s House at the Tower of London. This is the location where Guy Fawkes was interrogated.
Listen to the podcast on LibsynGuy Fawkes' Lantern
See Guy Fawkes' lantern and discover more about this object on Teaching History with 100 Objects.
See Guy Fawkes' Lantern on Teaching History with 100 ObjectsThey shall receive a terrible blow this parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them.
The Monteagle Letter
I wish to blow the Scottish King and all of his Scottish lords back to Scotland
Guy Fawkes declares in front of the King
The nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy.
Robert Catesby
Join Professor Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, at the Tower of London to uncover the key events of the Norman Conquest.
Discover historical sources, stories and classroom activities to learn about the role of fashion in the Royal Court.
Watch a video of Poet Laureate Simon Armitage's poem 'In Retrospect' to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.