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Families whose relatives laid to rest in resting places at risk from coastal erosion argue that a lack of decision on how best to tackle the issue is causing them unnecessary distress concerning the final resting places of their loved ones.

An Impending Danger to Historic Churchyards

Local authorities have singled out three church graveyards in the communities of Happisburgh, Trimingham, and Mundesley as being in danger of being swallowed by the ocean in the next few generations.

A newly published study on the situation sets out a series of possible actions, from taking no action to exhuming remains and relocating them in more secure locations. Authorities say it is for local people to decide how to move forward.

“Right now we’re in a state of uncertainty. It upsets me. They wanted this to serve as their final resting place, but it isn’t going to be because of the sea.”

Projections suggest at least a portion of one graveyard could fall into the sea in the next 80 years, but some locals worry it will happen far earlier. “I think it’s got under 20 years, if you consider what’s happened in the last 30 years,” one said.

Troubled by the Past

A local business owner remembered a childhood visit to the neighbouring settlement of Eccles, which has almost entirely vanished into the water, along with its church and graveyard.

“You could see human remains,” she said. “Certain people hold this romantic idea that the deceased will just get washed out to sea. They won’t. Individuals will collect remains as mementos and go grave robbing looking for treasures. That is completely undignified.”

“I’m worried that the same thing that happened at Eccles will occur here and there’ll be skeletons on the beach. I would feel appalled by that.”

A Paratrooper's Resting Place in Jeopardy

Along the shoreline is situated the burial plot of a former paratrooper killed while working overseas. His mother said she lost sleep after discovering her son’s final plot might one day be relocated.

“It does disturb me to think this won’t be his lasting resting place,” she said. “For us it’s an important site to visit.”

In her view, new burials should cease but says it is premature to disturb existing graves. “My preference for now is to take no action and watch carefully, but an timely resolution must be made when a tipping point has been reached.”

Seeking Answers and Certainty

The lack of agreement over the timing and method to tackle the challenge has resulted in bereaved families feeling exasperated and worried.

Several families want additional coastal protections to slow the inevitable erosion and to allow burials to proceed for now. Different voices contend the time for relocation is drawing near.

“The situation is very emotive,” a family member stated. “The council’s report was thorough, but now there’s confusion about how it is implemented. And everybody is washing their hands over who is accountable.”

A coastal manager said the graveyards were under the care of the church authorities. “Ultimately it is down to them to decide the direction to take. We are here to assist them through that journey with residents.”

He added there was time to consider all the options. “This concerns decades before it begins getting lost.”

“Currently, there exists no unified opinion on what should happen yet. It requires productive community discussions to find the appropriate solutions for each village.”

The prospect of losing the churches and graveyards was labeled one of “immense sorrow for the area,” but church representatives also referenced a belief in life after death, offering a theological perspective on the temporal disappearance of hallowed earth.