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Families of people buried in graves vulnerable to coastal erosion argue that a lack of decision over how to address the problem is creating unnecessary distress about the eternal homes of their departed family.

An Impending Danger to Ancient Churchyards

The council have identified three church graveyards in the communities of Happisburgh, Trimingham, and Mundesley as being at risk of being swallowed by the sea in the coming decades.

A newly published study on the situation details a range of options, from doing nothing to exhuming remains and relocating them in more secure locations. Officials say it is for local people to decide how to move forward.

“Right now we’re in limbo. It upsets me. They intended this to be their last home, but it isn’t going to be because of the encroaching sea.”

Projections suggest at least part of one churchyard could fall into the sea in the next 80 years, but some residents worry it will happen much sooner. “I think it’s got under 20 years, if you look at what’s happened in the last 30 years,” one said.

Troubled by the Ghosts of Eccles

One resident remembered a childhood visit to the neighbouring village of Eccles, which has almost entirely vanished into the water, along with its place of worship and burial ground.

“It was possible to see people’s bones,” she said. “Certain people hold this idealized notion that the deceased will just get washed out to the ocean. That is not the case. Individuals will collect remains as mementos and go grave robbing in search of treasures. That is completely undignified.”

“I fear that the same thing that happened at Eccles will occur at Happisburgh and there’ll be bones on the beach. I would feel disgusted by that.”

A Paratrooper's Resting Place in Peril

Further up the coast lies the grave of a former paratrooper killed while working overseas. His parent expressed she lost sleep after learning her son’s grave might one day be relocated.

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

In her view, new interments should stop but says it is premature 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 critical moment has been attained.”

Searching for Answers and Clarity

An absence of agreement over when and how to handle the challenge has resulted in grieving relatives feeling frustrated and worried.

Several families are calling for more coastal protections to delay the unavoidable loss and to allow funerals to continue for now. Others contend the moment for moving graves is drawing near.

“The situation is very emotive,” a family member stated. “The official study was thorough, but now there’s confusion about how it is implemented. And all parties is washing their hands over who is responsible.”

A coastal manager said the graveyards were under the care of the church authorities. “Ultimately it is down to them to choose the path to take. Our role is here to help support them through that journey with communities.”

It was also stated there was time to consider all the choices. “We are talking many years before it begins getting lost.”

“There is no unified opinion on what should be done yet. It requires productive local conversations to discover the right solutions for each village.”

The possibility of the loss of the historic sites was described as one of “profound sadness for the local community,” but faith leaders also spoke of a doctrine in life after death, providing a spiritual viewpoint on the temporal disappearance of hallowed earth.