Lost Masterpieces
When ‘Bad King John’ Lost The British Crown Jewels
In 1216, a group of King John’s men were traveling through some marshland when a flood engulfed them. Ever since, the whereabouts of the Crown Jewels has remained unknown.
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast
For first-time tourists to the United Kingdom and for the royalty obsessed, a visit to the Tower of London is a must.
Forget the building’s sordid history as a prison for pint-size princes and religious fanatics or its role in the murder of out-of-favor queens. The towering brick building is now the regal home of the monarchy’s glittering and gilded prized possessions.
Yes, this site that once served as a fortress and is now filled with watchful guards is the perfect place to protect and display the British Crown Jewels. Want to know what isn’t a good place? A horse-drawn cart following an army into battle.