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Loved ones of people buried in graves at risk from coastal erosion state that a lack of decision on how best to address the problem is creating unnecessary distress about the eternal homes of their loved ones.

A Looming Threat to Ancient Graveyards

Local authorities have identified three burial grounds in the villages of Happisburgh, Mundesley, and Trimingham 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 options, from doing nothing to exhuming remains and relocating them in more secure sites. Authorities say it is for local people to decide how to proceed.

“At the moment we’re in limbo. It causes me distress. They wanted this to be their final resting place, but it won't be because of the sea.”

Projections indicate at least a portion of one graveyard could be claimed by the waves in the next 80 years, but some residents fear it will happen much sooner. “I think it’s got under 20 years, if you look at what’s occurred in the last 30 years,” a farmer stated.

Troubled by the Ghosts of Eccles

One resident recalled a childhood visit to the neighbouring settlement of Eccles, which has largely vanished into the sea, including its place of worship and burial ground.

“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. That is not the case. Individuals will collect remains as souvenirs and go plundering graves looking for treasures. That is completely disrespectful.”

“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 Resting Place in Jeopardy

Further up the coast is situated the burial plot of a former paratrooper who died while working abroad. His parent said she lost sleep after discovering her son’s grave might one day be moved.

“It truly disturb me to consider this won’t be his lasting home,” she said. “To our family it’s an important site to visit.”

In her view, new burials should cease but says it is too soon to disturb existing graves. “My preference for now is to do nothing and watch carefully, but an early decision needs to be made when a critical moment has been reached.”

Searching for Solutions and Certainty

An absence of consensus over the timing and method to handle the challenge has resulted in grieving relatives feeling exasperated and anxious.

Several families want more sea defences to delay the inevitable erosion and to permit burials to proceed for now. Others argue the moment for moving graves is drawing near.

“It is very emotive,” said one relative. “The official study was really good, but now there’s uncertainty about how it is taken forward. And everybody is washing their hands over who is responsible.”

A coastal manager confirmed the graveyards were under the care of the church authorities. “Ultimately it is up to them to decide the direction to take. We are here to help support them through that process with residents.”

It was also stated there was time to weigh all the options. “We are talking decades before it begins getting lost.”

“There is no common view on what should be done yet. It requires good local conversations to discover the appropriate solutions for each village.”

The possibility of losing the churches and graveyards was described as one of “profound sadness for the area,” but church representatives also referenced a doctrine in resurrection, offering a theological viewpoint on the temporal loss of sacred ground.