A charming little village nestled within quintessential English countryside and bordered by the sea is slowly being claimed by the waves.
Relentless coastal erosion has resulted in sections of the village being lost to the ocean permanently – and appears destined to persist given the settlement’s precarious position near the shoreline.
Tunstall is a minuscule village in East Yorkshire and roughly 15 miles from Hull, cherished by residents and visitors alike – but it may be destined to vanish entirely.
Portions of this village perch perilously close to the coast on top of a cliff composed of soft sediment.
Scenic Tunstall is encircled by the frequently turbulent North Sea, which has been claiming territory from this location for centuries, reports the Express.
The ocean’s unforgiving advance towards the village is believed to be eroding up to two metres annually of this stunning coastline.
(Image: HullLive)
The cliff upon which the village stands consists of silt, sand, gravel and clay, meaning this fragile geological composition is readily swept away.
A thoroughfare called Seaside Lane has already succumbed to the unpredictable sea, and there are concerns the entire Yorkshire village will progressively suffer the same destiny.
Across centuries, roads, structures and farmland have been surrendered to the sea – and more recently residents have been compelled to abandon their properties due to the erosion.
During the 1800s, historian George Poulson recorded his observations of Tunstall, noting: “The devastations of the sea upon this coast, from Bridlington to Spurn Point, is not uniform, though constant.
“The sea setting to a particular part for some time, and then leaving it and taking away another part, without any apparent cause.
“Tunstal has suffered greatly – 100 acres are gone within the last 60 years”.
The picturesque village faces the prospect of being slowly erased from existence as the merciless ocean continues to reclaim the coastline.
During 2022, winter tempests left the seaside community trembling like a wobbling dessert, Yorkshire Live reported, with 2022 witnessing twice the typical erosion rate for settlements such as Tunstall.
The deceased Keith Dunn, who had resided in Tunstall from 1970 until his passing, witnessed ‘the road vanish completely’.
Speaking to Hull Live in 2022, he said: “Never in all the world did I ever think the road would disappear but now it has gone.
“There used to be a breakwater here which protected the coast and kept the sand which ensured we had a lovely beach.
“Over about 20 years it broke up and we pleaded for the Government to rebuild it but it said it was too expensive – that has left this area unprotected.”