LOST HAMLET EXPOSED BY GALES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8355, 15 February 1913, Page 10

LOST HAMLET EXPOSED BY GALES

GRIM EBtICS OF DISASTER. . . LONDON, January 1. A remarkable result of the violent gales which have just brought «v,ch havoc to shipping is the exposure to view ot. tho ruins of the parish church of Eccles, on the East Anglian coast, which for many years liav-o been completely cov{’i*.’d, by sand. This occurrence recalls the disaster which at the opening of the seventeenth century overwhelmed the hamlet of Eccles, with its octagonal church tower, which served as a landmark to sailors navigating the North Sea. On a black, tempestuous night in January, 1604, a furious gale ravaged the neighbouring coast, and tho swollen sea's broke their bounds and swept over the village, men, women, and children perishing in tho waves. To-day, as a result ot recent gales, tho graves have almost given up their dead. The action of tho sea has scoured tho sand away, and at low water lying open to the sky can be seen the bones of those laid to rest in the churchyard some three or four centuries ago. . Tho church tower alone remained above the waters, and Where was once a prosperous village appeared nothing but x a broad expanej of’water dotted here and there with sandhills, guarded by a tower. The North Sea gradually receded, and in its nlaco the even, more enveloping sandhills appeared. In ISI2 tho tower was to be seen facing the waters with the sand immediately in the rear. By 1850 nothinc but the top of the tower, with its one Gothic window which formed a seductive target for the missiles of excursionists could be discerned. In 1895 the sands recoded somewhat, and the tower became exposed, but, weakened and undermined by sand and salt it collapsed, and until quitt recently nothing that had been erected by human hand was risible. Last week’s gale, however, removed thC hundreds of thousands of tons of sand that had aocumulated over the church, which, non completely laid bare, presents an extraordinary sight. Not only can the ruins of the church be seen, but even the churehyaid in all its details has been exposed. Skeletons are to be seen in all’ directions, and the scene is |U gloomy and desolate one. Among many discoveries of archaelogical interest a bronze key and escutcheon have been found within the ruined church by Mr Feather, of the Panin-, Bcachmen’e Company, which are believed to have belonged to the church chest. The sand is rapidly advancing again, aud it seems certain that ere long this ill-fated church and hamlet will again bo Jest to view.