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Loved ones of people laid to rest in graves at risk from coastal erosion argue that a lack of decision over how to tackle the problem is causing them unnecessary distress about the final resting places of their loved ones.

An Impending Danger to Ancient Graveyards

Local authorities have singled out three church graveyards in the villages of Happisburgh, Mundesley, and Trimingham as being at risk of being engulfed by the sea in the next few generations.

A recent report on the issue sets out a range of possible actions, from doing nothing to exhuming remains and reburying them in safer locations. Authorities say it is for the community to decide how to proceed.

“Right now we’re in limbo. It upsets me. They wanted this to serve as their final resting place, but it isn’t going to be because of the encroaching sea.”

Projections indicate at least part of one graveyard could be claimed by the waves in the next 80 years, but some residents worry it will happen much sooner. “In my view it’s got under 20 years, if you consider what’s occurred in the last 30 years,” one said.

Haunted by the Past

A local business owner recalled a school trip to the nearby settlement of Eccles, which has almost entirely disappeared into the water, along with its place of worship and burial ground.

“You could see human remains,” she said. “Certain people hold this romantic idea that people’s remains will just get carried away to sea. That is not the case. People will collect remains as mementos and go plundering graves looking for treasures. That is completely disrespectful.”

“I fear that the identical fate that happened at Eccles will occur at Happisburgh and there’ll be skeletons on the shore. I would feel appalled by that.”

A Paratrooper's Grave in Peril

Further up the shoreline lies the grave of a former paratrooper who died while working abroad. His parent said she could not sleep after discovering her son’s final plot might one day be relocated.

“It truly trouble me to think this may not remain his permanent home,” she said. “To our family it’s an important site to visit.”

In her view, new burials should cease but says it is premature to exhume existing graves. “My preference for now is to take no action and watch carefully, but an early decision needs to be made when a tipping point has been attained.”

Seeking Answers and Clarity

The lack of consensus over when and how to handle the problem has resulted in bereaved families feeling exasperated and worried.

Some are calling for more coastal protections to delay the inevitable erosion and to permit burials to proceed for now. Different voices contend the moment for moving graves is drawing near.

“The situation is very emotive,” a family member stated. “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 responsible.”

A local official confirmed the burial sites were under the care of the local diocese. “Ultimately it is down to them to decide the direction to take. Our role is here to help support them through that journey with communities.”

He added there was ample time to weigh all the options. “We are talking decades before it begins getting lost.”

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

The possibility of the loss of the churches and graveyards was described as one of “profound sorrow for the area,” but faith leaders also referenced a doctrine in resurrection, offering a theological perspective on the physical disappearance of hallowed earth.