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Loved ones of people buried in graves at risk from shoreline retreat argue that a lack of decision over how to address the problem is causing them avoidable anguish about the final resting places of their departed family.

A Looming Threat to Ancient Graveyards

The council have identified three burial grounds in the communities 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 details a series of possible actions, from taking no action to exhuming remains and reburying them in more secure locations. Officials say it is for the community to decide how to move forward.

“Right now we’re in limbo. It causes me distress. My parents intended this to be their final resting place, but it won't be because of the encroaching sea.”

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

Troubled by the Ghosts of Eccles

One resident remembered a childhood visit to the nearby settlement of Eccles, which has almost entirely vanished into the water, along with its church and graveyard.

“It was possible to see people’s bones,” she said. “Certain people hold this romantic idea that the deceased will just get washed out to sea. They won’t. People will collect remains as mementos and go plundering graves in search of treasures. It’s completely undignified.”

“I’m worried that the same thing that befell at Eccles will happen at Happisburgh and there’ll be bones on the beach. I would feel appalled by that.”

A Paratrooper's Resting Place in Peril

Along the coast lies the grave of a former paratrooper killed while serving overseas. His parent said she could not sleep after learning her son’s grave might one day be relocated.

“It does trouble me to consider this may not remain his permanent home,” she said. “For us it’s an important place to go.”

In her view, new interments should cease but says it is too soon to exhume current plots. “My preference for now is to take no action and watch carefully, but an timely resolution must be made when a critical moment has been attained.”

Seeking Answers and Certainty

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

Several families want more coastal protections to delay the unavoidable loss and to allow funerals to continue for now. Others contend the moment for relocation is approaching.

“The situation is very emotive,” said one relative. “The official study was really good, but now there’s confusion about how it is implemented. And all parties is avoiding responsibility over who is accountable.”

A local official confirmed the graveyards were owned and managed of the local diocese. “Ultimately it is down to them to decide the direction to take. We are here to help support them through that process with communities.”

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

“Currently, there exists no common view on what should be done yet. We need productive community discussions to discover the appropriate solutions for each community.”

The prospect of the loss of the historic sites was described as one of “profound sorrow for the area,” but church representatives also spoke of a doctrine in resurrection, offering a spiritual viewpoint on the physical disappearance of hallowed earth.