British police are hunting for thieves who broke into a castle in southern England and made off with “irreplaceable” artifacts, including gold and silver items worth more than £1 million ($1.4 million).

Burglar alarms alerted staff at Arundel Castle to a break in on Friday night at 10.30 p.m. (5.30 p.m. ET), and items of “great historical significance” were stolen by force from a display cabinet, according to a statement from Sussex Police published Sunday.

Among the stolen artifacts were coronation cups and the gold rosary beads carried by Mary, Queen of Scots when she was executed in 1587 by order of her English cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. Police said the rosary beads are an “irreplaceable” piece of national heritage.

“The stolen items have significant monetary value, but as unique artefacts of the Duke of Norfolk’s collection have immeasurably greater and priceless…

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