A MASSIVE sinkhole has opened up in the middle of a church graveyard, exposing a 300-year-old underground crypt buried beneath the surface.
The 12ft-deep/wide hole suddenly appeared at All Saints Church in Somerset on Saturday, just a day before Remembrance Sunday services were due to take place.
The gaping hole is a tomb dating back to the 1700s.
Reverend Paul Fillery, of All Saints Church, said the collapse happened “quite suddenly” and left behind a “large sinkhole”.
He said the church suspects heavy rainfall may have weakened the ground over time, washing away soil and eroding the old foundations.
But a full survey will be needed to confirm the exact cause.
“The inscription on the tomb can no longer be read,” Rev Fillery said.
“It’s been reduced to a pile of rubble.”
Martock Parish Council, which is responsible for maintaining the now full churchyard, quickly secured the site with safety barriers to prevent visitors from getting too close.
The council also warned the public to: “take extreme care when walking” near the area.
Rev Fillery continued: “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.”
Locals say the hole has become an unexpected attraction, with people visiting the churchyard to see the mysterious crypt that has lain hidden for centuries. Some have described the scene as “something out of a film”.
It is not yet known whether the collapse has affected nearby graves or whether the ground around the site remains stable.
Specialists are expected to inspect the area in the coming days to assess the risk and plan restoration work.
All Saints Church, which dates back to the 13th century, is one of Somerset’s most historic religious buildings.
Much of it was rebuilt during the 15th and 16th centuries, and it remains a Grade I listed landmark.
The church is also believed to stand on a site of worship that may predate 1156.
The timing of the collapse, on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, caused concern among parishioners, but services inside the church were able to continue safely.
Despite the unsettling discovery, Rev Fillery said the community had responded calmly and with great care.
“We’ll make sure everything is restored properly,” he said.
“It’s part of our shared history, and we want to treat it with the respect it deserves.”
Experts say old churchyards across the UK sometimes hide underground vaults or crypts built centuries ago for wealthy families or clergy members, and that sinkholes like this one can reveal long-forgotten parts of local history.
The Sun has approached All Saints Church for comment.
Is your property at risk from a sinkhole?
There are thousands of natural sinkholes, also known as dolines, in the UK, particularly in the upland areas of northern England, according to the British Geological Survey.
Built up areas can be at risk and it is believed sinkholes are becoming more common in the UK, partly due to extreme rainfall, which scientists have linked to climate change.
By and large, these are not actively subsiding, but occasionally new sinkholes form, particularly after heavy rain.
Dr Andrew Farrant of the BGS, says: “By their very nature, collapse features caused by burst pipes or collapsed infrastructure are mostly likely to occur in built up areas or beneath roads, and could happen in other areas with similar geology and aging infrastructure.
“Many recent sinkholes have been caused by collapses of old sewers or culverts, such as the sinkhole near Merthyr Tydfil last December.
“There have been other recent instances of sinkholes due to flushing out of sands and weak sandstones, for example the sinkhole that closed Storrington High Street last October.”
