Metal detectorist Peter Hughes discovered the well-preserved brass padlock on Morfa beach near Port Talbot in 1999 after decades of searching. Hughes spent approximately twenty years trying to open the item himself before surrendering the hoard to Amgueddfa Cymru in 2017. Modern non-invasive scanning revealed the internal structure and identified "ANCE" as the correct unlocking sequence among 1,296 possible options. The historic collection was subsequently put on public display at the Swansea Waterfront Museum in July 2026.
Key points
Advanced micro-CT scanning solved the historical locking sequence without physically forc…: Advanced micro-CT scanning solved the historical locking sequence without physically forcing or damaging the delicate maritime antiquity.
Specialists believe the padlock originally secured Spanish silver currency, coin weights,…: Specialists believe the padlock originally secured Spanish silver currency, coin weights, or chests holding valuable documents and textiles.
Under Welsh treasure laws, individuals must report qualifying discoveries within 14 days…: Under Welsh treasure laws, individuals must report qualifying discoveries within 14 days or risk imprisonment and financial fines.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
Experts have cracked a four-letter code to open an ancient padlock from a shipwreck off the Welsh coast using modern scanning technology.
The 400-year-old brass lock was discovered by metal detectorist Peter Hughes in the sand near Margam in Port Talbot, in 1999.
It forms part of a wider treasure hoard from the Ann Francis ship that was caught in a storm on 28 December 1583 on the way back from Spain. Its cargo was hidden beneath the sand for centuries.
Museum experts have used CT scanning to examine the lock's internal mechanism, identify the correct letter combination and solve the mystery.
Peter Hughes, from Maesteg, said the padlock was one of hundreds of artefacts he found after decades of searching on Morfa beach.
Found near a collection of Spanish silver coins and close to two coin weights, it is thought the lock may have protected these objects or secured a chest containing valuable items that did not survive, like documents or textiles.
"It was by chance - a day off. I was walking along the beach with…
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