Matthew Lewis presents a three-part Guy Fawkes podcast that questions the familiar story of the Gunpowder Plot. Gunpowder and Treason: The Real Guy Fawkes will be available on Sounds from Friday 30 October.
The series looks again at events in 1605 through new evidence, hidden family histories and the lasting legacy of a conspiracy that has echoed for more than 400 years. Lewis, who is from Leeds and is best known for playing Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, says he found “so many new elements,” especially around the Yorkshire roots of the story.
Matthew Lewis in Leeds
Lewis says the research changed what he thought he knew. “I’ve always been fascinated by history and felt that I already knew as much as there was to know about the Gunpowder Plot. Working on this series I discovered so many new elements, particularly with regard to the Yorkshire roots of the conspiracy. Much of which is still visible in the county today, if you know where to look. For those unaware of the story, this should be a rollercoaster of a ride, and for those that think themselves familiar with it, I’m sure there’ll be more than a few surprises. From desperate and audacious adventure to macabre and gruesome reality. As they say, it’s a story we should remember.”
The podcast is built around that idea: the traditional account is not treated as fixed. Instead, it asks whether Guy Fawkes was really the mastermind behind the plot or whether he was set up all along. The series also examines the theory that Fawkes was used by the plotters for his military skills before becoming the face of a conspiracy that involved many others.
Ripley Castle and York
Several of the locations and families in the series are tied directly to the plot. Ripley Castle has connections to the conspiracy, and Sir Thomas Ingilby investigates his family’s historic links to it. Tony Beacock explores the role of his ancestors John Wright and Christopher Wright in the conspiracy, while a visit to York’s Bar Convent uncovers a gruesome tale linked to religious persecution at the time.
Guy Fawkes was born in York, and the series also visits the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds to examine his military experience. That detail sits at the center of the podcast’s challenge to the old story: if Fawkes had specific military skills, the question becomes whether he was driving the plot or serving someone else’s purpose.
Local and Radio York
Chris Burns, Head of Local Audio Commissioning, said: “This is exactly what Local does best, uncovering remarkable stories hidden within our communities and bringing them to life through the voices of the people most closely connec”. The release date gives listeners a concrete next step: the three-part series becomes available on Sounds on Friday 30 October, in time for renewed bonfire night interest in the 1605 plot.
For listeners, the practical takeaway is simple. The new series does not just retell the Gunpowder Plot; it reopens the case around Guy Fawkes, York and the county links that the traditional story often pushes into the background.
