John, King of England have involved only a few of his pack-horses. Modern historians assert that by October 1216 John faced a "stalemate", "a military situation uncompromised by defeat". John's illness grew worse and by the time he reached Newark Castle he was unable to travel any farther; John died on the night of 18/19 October. Numerous – probably fictitious – accounts circulated soon after his death that he had been killed by poisoned ale, poisoned plums or a "surfeit of peaches". His body was escorted south by a company of mercenaries and he was buried in Worcester Cathedral in front of the altar
Berkhamsted was responsible for the foundation of the new parish church of St Peter (the size of which reflects the growing prosperity of the town), two hospitals, St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist (one of which was a leper hospital), which survived until 1516, and the lay out of the town. In December 1216, the castle was besieged during the civil war, known as the First Barons' War, between King John and barons supported by Prince Louis (the future Louis VIII of France), who captured the castle on 20 December 1216 after twenty days using siege engines and