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Loved ones whose relatives buried in resting places at risk from coastal erosion say that indecision over how to address the issue is creating avoidable anguish concerning the final resting places of their loved ones.

A Looming Danger to Ancient Churchyards

The council have singled out three church graveyards in the communities of Happisburgh, Mundesley, and Trimingham as being at risk of being engulfed by the ocean in the coming decades.

A newly published study on the issue details a series of options, from doing nothing to exhuming remains and reburying them in more secure sites. Officials say it is for local people to determine how to move forward.

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

Estimates indicate at least part of one churchyard could be claimed by the waves in the next 80 years, but some residents 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,” a farmer stated.

Haunted by the Ghosts of Eccles

A local business owner recalled a school trip to the nearby village of Eccles, which has almost entirely vanished into the water, including its church and graveyard.

“It was possible to see people’s bones,” she said. “Some have this romantic idea that the deceased will just get washed out to the ocean. That is not the case. People will collect remains as souvenirs and go grave robbing in search of treasures. That is completely disrespectful.”

“I fear that the identical fate that befell at Eccles will occur here and there’ll be skeletons on the beach. I’d be appalled by that.”

A Soldier's Grave in Peril

Further up the shoreline is situated the grave of a ex-soldier killed while working abroad. His mother expressed she could not sleep after learning her son’s grave might one day be relocated.

“It truly disturb me to think this won’t be his lasting resting place,” she said. “To our family it’s an significant site to visit.”

She believes, new burials should cease but says it is too soon to exhume 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 Clarity

The lack of agreement over the timing and method to handle the challenge has resulted in grieving relatives feeling frustrated and anxious.

Several families are calling for additional sea defences to slow the unavoidable loss and to allow burials to proceed for now. Different voices argue the time for moving graves is approaching.

“The situation is very emotional,” a family member stated. “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 accountable.”

A coastal manager confirmed the graveyards were owned and managed of the local diocese. “Ultimately it is up to them to decide the path to take. We are here to assist them through that journey with residents.”

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

“There is no unified opinion on what should happen yet. We need productive community discussions to discover the appropriate solutions for each community.”

The possibility of losing the churches and graveyards was described as one of “immense sadness for the local community,” but church representatives also spoke of a belief in resurrection, offering a spiritual viewpoint on the physical disappearance of hallowed earth.