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Families of people laid to rest in graves vulnerable to coastal erosion state that a lack of decision on how best to address the issue is creating avoidable anguish about the final resting places of their loved ones.

A Looming Threat to Ancient Graveyards

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

A recent report on the issue sets out a range of options, from taking no action to exhuming remains and reburying them in more secure locations. Officials maintain it is for the community to determine how to proceed.

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

Projections suggest at least a portion of one graveyard could fall into the waves in the next 80 years, but some locals fear it will happen much sooner. “In my view it’s got less than 20 years, if you consider what’s occurred in the last 30 years,” one said.

Troubled by the Ghosts of Eccles

A local business owner recalled a school trip to the neighbouring settlement of Eccles, which has largely vanished into the sea, along with its place of worship and burial ground.

“You could see people’s bones,” she said. “Certain people hold this idealized notion that people’s remains will just get washed out to sea. They won’t. People will collect remains as mementos and go grave robbing in search of treasures. It’s completely disrespectful.”

“I fear that the same thing that befell at Eccles will happen here and there’ll be skeletons on the shore. I’d be disgusted by that.”

A Paratrooper's Resting Place in Peril

Further up the shoreline is situated the grave of a former paratrooper killed while working abroad. His mother expressed she could not sleep after discovering her child's final plot might one day be moved.

“It truly trouble me to consider this won’t be his permanent resting place,” she said. “For us it’s an significant site to visit.”

In her view, new burials should stop but says it is too soon to exhume existing graves. “What I would choose for now is to take no action and watch carefully, but an early decision must be made when a tipping point has been reached.”

Searching for Answers and Certainty

The lack of agreement over the timing and method to tackle the challenge has left bereaved families feeling frustrated and worried.

Several families want additional sea defences to slow the unavoidable loss and to permit funerals to continue for now. Others contend the moment for moving graves is drawing near.

“The situation is very emotive,” said one relative. “The council’s report was really good, but now there’s uncertainty about how it is implemented. And all parties is avoiding responsibility over who is responsible.”

A local official confirmed the graveyards were owned and managed of the church authorities. “In the end it is up to them to choose the direction to take. We are here to assist them through that process with communities.”

It was also stated there was ample time to consider all the options. “This concerns many years before it begins getting lost.”

“Currently, there exists no unified opinion on what should happen yet. We need good local conversations to discover the appropriate solutions for each village.”

The prospect of losing the historic sites was labeled one of “profound sadness for the local community,” but faith leaders also spoke of a belief in resurrection, providing a theological viewpoint on the physical loss of hallowed earth.