🔗 Share this article

Families whose relatives laid to rest in resting places vulnerable to shoreline retreat argue that a lack of decision over how to tackle the problem is causing them avoidable anguish concerning the final resting places of their loved ones.

An Impending Danger to Historic Graveyards

The council have singled out three church graveyards in the communities of Happisburgh, Mundesley, and Trimingham as being in danger of being consumed by the sea in the next few generations.

A recent report on the situation sets out a series of possible actions, from taking no action to disinterring bodies and relocating them in more secure sites. Officials maintain it is for local people to determine how to move forward.

“At the moment we’re in a state of uncertainty. It causes me distress. They wanted this to serve as their last home, but it isn’t going to be because of the sea.”

Estimates suggest at least part of one graveyard could be claimed by the waves in the next 80 years, but some residents worry it will happen much sooner. “I think it’s got less than 20 years, if you consider what’s happened in the last 30 years,” one said.

Troubled by the Past

One resident remembered a childhood visit to the neighbouring village of Eccles, which has largely vanished into the sea, along with its church and graveyard.

“It was possible to see people’s bones,” she said. “Certain people hold this idealized notion that people’s remains will just get carried away to sea. They won’t. Individuals will collect remains as souvenirs and go grave robbing in search of valuables. It’s completely undignified.”

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

A Soldier's Grave in Jeopardy

Along the shoreline is situated the grave of a former paratrooper killed while working abroad. His parent expressed she could not sleep after learning her son’s final plot might one day be moved.

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

She believes, new burials should stop but says it is too soon to disturb current plots. “What I would choose for now is to take no action and closely monitor, but an timely resolution must be made when a tipping point has been attained.”

Searching for Answers and Certainty

An absence of consensus over when and how to tackle the problem has resulted in grieving relatives feeling frustrated and worried.

Several families want more sea defences to slow the unavoidable loss and to allow burials to continue for now. Others contend the moment for moving graves is approaching.

“The situation is very emotional,” said one relative. “The council’s report was really good, but now there’s uncertainty about how it is implemented. And everybody is washing their hands over who is accountable.”

A local official said the graveyards were under the care of the local diocese. “Ultimately it is up to them to decide the path to take. Our role is here to assist them through that journey with residents.”

He added there was ample time to consider all the choices. “This concerns many years before it begins getting lost.”

“Currently, there exists no unified opinion on what should be done yet. It requires productive local conversations to find the appropriate answers for each village.”

The possibility of losing the churches and graveyards was labeled one of “immense sorrow for the area,” but church representatives also referenced a belief in resurrection, offering a spiritual viewpoint on the temporal disappearance of sacred ground.