File:X-ray of combination padlock (FindID 63751).jpg

English: Copper-alloy combination lock. It consists of five discs, originally movable, now corroded onto an axle between two outer discs which are joined by an arched hasp or shackle over the top of the discs. The loop consists of two projecting struts which are trapezoidal in cross-section; one continues into an arched semi-circle which meets and locks into the other strut. This can be clearly seen on the attached scan of an x-ray of the lock.

All but one of the central rotating discs each have five symbols stamped on them, the other only having four although the fifth may be completely worn away. Curiously the outer discs only have two and one symbol respectively. Furthermore, the symbols stamped on the outer discs are not in alignment with each other and since they do not rotate the opening combination must have consisted either of all 7 symbols in a diagonal line, or of 5 or 6 symbols in a straight line.

A comparable example from Eyke, Suffolk <a href="http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_obj.php?type=finds&id=36692" target="_blank"> SF8892</a> and another now in the British Museum (M&ME 1992, 0410.1) both have letters instead of symbols stamped onto the discs. The Suffolk example might have opened with the combination 'open' or 'oven', whilst the example in the British Museum opened with the word MARCI. The Hatton example is illegible, in that the symbols appear to be random shapes, although one resembles a stylised letter 'A', and another the letter 'E'.