The artifact was discovered near Margam Beach by metal detectorist Peter Hughes alongside Spanish silver coins and coin weights. Engineering specialist Dr. David Williams mapped the internal mechanism against exterior rotating rings to determine the code was "ANCE". Although the device was opened intact, historians still do not know the exact meaning of the letters or what cargo it once protected. The artifact has been placed on public display at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
Key points
Advanced micro-CT scanning enabled researchers to open the delicate historical lock witho…: Advanced micro-CT scanning enabled researchers to open the delicate historical lock without causing any physical damage.
Proximity to Spanish coins and weights suggests the lock originally secured valuable good…: Proximity to Spanish coins and weights suggests the lock originally secured valuable goods, personal effects, or perishable textiles.
The cracked lock is currently being displayed alongside rare gold coins in the Tides of T…: The cracked lock is currently being displayed alongside rare gold coins in the Tides of Treasure exhibition in Swansea.
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A ship returning from Spain was caught in a violent storm and wrecked off the coast of Wales in 1583. Among the objects recovered from the wreck was a brass combination lock that remained closed for more than four centuries. Researchers have now solved its four-letter code without forcing it open, using advanced CT scanning technology to examine the delicate mechanism.
Cardiff University announced the discovery on November 4, 2026, following research conducted with Amgueddfa Cymru, also known as Museum Wales. The researchers successfully identified the combination as ANCE and opened the lock without damaging it. The discovery has helped solve a centuries-old puzzle, although researchers are still uncertain about what the lock originally protected and why its owner chose those four letters.
A ship lost off the Welsh coast
The ship, named Ann Francis, was returning from Spain when it encountered a severe storm on December 28, 1583. Blown off course, it eventually wrecked on Margam Beach, near Port Talbot in south Wales. Much of its cargo remained buried beneath the sand for centuries. Metal detectorist Peter Hughes discovered…
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