The Legend of King John's Lost Treasure

The story of King John's lost treasure is one of England's most enduring legends, and it has fascinated treasure hunters and historians for centuries. The inspiration for this legend comes from a historical event in 1216, during the final months of King John's reign when he was fighting a French invasion and his own hostile Barons who had forced Magna Carta upon him a year before.

In October 1216, while King John was campaigning during the First Barons' War, he traveled through the eastern part of England near The Wash, a large estuary in East Anglia. The Fens are a low-lying area with dangerous tides and marshlands. According to historical accounts, King John, while seriously ill, sought to return to more secure territories. His baggage train, carrying important treasures, royal regalia, and possibly gold and silver, attempted to cross the tidal estuary.

The story goes that the wagons and their contents were swallowed by the marshes as the waters rapidly came in, and much of his wealth was lost. Some accounts suggest that it included crown jewels, valuable belongings, and war supplies. Despite numerous searches and investigations, the treasure has never been found, adding to the legend's allure.

Over time the notion that vast treasures lie buried under the silt of The Wash or Fenlands of North Norfolk and Cambridgeshire have attracted many treasure hunters. Although King John himself died a few days later, the lost treasure remains one of England’s most tantalizing unsolved mysteries.