Show gunpowder plot the gunpowder plot of 1605 was a plot to blow up king james and the english parliament engineered by guy fawkes and others as a protest against the severe anti roman catholic laws thirty six barrels of gunpowder covered with coal and faggots maggots fag gots were hidden in the vaults directly below the house of lords the plot was revealed through an anonymous letter the conspirators were captured and most of them were put to death the event is commemorated by the annual searching of the vaults of the houses of parliament at the opening of the session and by festivities on guy fawkes day november 5 during which there are bonfires and burning of fawkes in effigy |