Cryptic padlock from a 400-year-old shipwreck finally opened — but it leaves a mystery

For the first time in over 400 years, researchers have successfully cracked the combination of an Elizabethan padlock that once secured a chest on the Ann Francis, an Elizabethan merchant ship that sank off the coast of Wales in 1583. The lock, part of the Ann Francis treasure hoard, was unearthed by metal detectorist Peter Hughes in 1996 and later acquired by Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales.

Using micro-CT scans, researchers were able to decipher the four-letter combination, "ANCE," which allowed them to open the lock. The Ann Francis, owned by notorious smuggler Francis Shaxton, was sailing from King’s Lynn to Hartlepool when it was caught in a violent storm off the coast of Wales. The ship wrecked near Margam beach, with some of its cargo recovered, while the rest was claimed by the sea.

The lock, remarkably preserved, was found by Hughes near a previously undiscovered stash of Spanish silver coins and coin weights. Despite his attempts to open it over the years, Hughes could never find the correct combination. Amgueddfa Cymru staff were concerned about damaging the lock by trying to open it themselves, as there were over 1,000 possible combinations.

The micro-CT scans provided a nondestructive way to examine the internal mechanisms of the lock, leading researchers to identify the four-letter code and finally open the padlock. While the code's meaning remains a mystery, this discovery offers a tantalizing glimpse into the past.