Researchers were left stunned after the sudden collapse of an 18th-century burial structure in a Somerset church.
A tomb dating from the 1700s gave way at All Saints Church in Martock, revealing a subterranean crypt beneath the cemetery.
The dramatic cave-in created a cavity measuring twelve feet across, exposing the previously hidden underground chamber.
Local historians were left shocked after the ancient box tomb’s structural failure has opened an unexpected window into the church’s burial history.
The timing of the structural failure proved particularly challenging, occurring merely one day before the church’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Rev Paul Fillery explained that the 300-year-old burial structure had collapsed “quite suddenly” into what he described as a “large sinkhole”.
He told the BBC: “We are working together with the parish council and taking expert advice from the diocese as to the best way forward.
“We will be sure that it is safely secured until all essential repairs are complete. Needless to say, it has already seen a lot of visitors come by to view the site.”
The hole opened in the grounds opened in All Saints Church in Martock
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MARTOCK PARISH COUNCIL
Martock Parish Council, which oversees the churchyard’s upkeep, responded swiftly by installing protective barriers around the hazardous area.
The council bears responsibility for maintaining the cemetery, which has reached full capacity.
Questions remain regarding potential damage to adjacent burial plots and the overall stability of the surrounding terrain.
The complete destruction of the tomb has rendered its memorial inscription illegible amongst the scattered stonework.
Rev Paul Fillery explained that the 300-year-old burial structure had collapsed “quite suddenly”
All Saints Church boasts an extensive architectural heritage, with its oldest sections originating in the 13th century.
The building underwent substantial reconstruction during the 15th and 16th centuries, creating the multi-period structure visible today.
Rev Fillery added they could sadly no longer read the inscription because the tomb had been reduced to a “pile of rubble”.