Sinkhole Collapse Reveals Historic Vault in English Churchyard

An unexpected structural failure has led to a significant collapse in the garden of All Saints Church, located in Martock, Somerset, revealing a family vault that dates back 300 years. This incident occurred during the weekend of the Remembrance Sunday service, specifically on November 8.

Images taken at the scene show the tomb, which is essentially a stone box grave, exposed within the churchyard’s grassy area. A box grave, sometimes referred to as a false crypt, sits above ground and envelops a grave but does not hold the remains inside it. Fortunately, the remains within the vault appeared to be undisturbed despite the tomb’s collapse.

The Rev. Paul Fillery noted that this event created quite a “busy week” for the diocese, marking a notable disruption in the community.

“The weight of the box tomb, combined with a weakened ceiling, caused the entire structure to give way,” Fillery explained, pointing out that a large opening has been left in the ground.

According to Fillery, the ancient vault is constructed from locally sourced hamstone and features a stone shelf meant to hold the coffins of family members, which were consequently sealed after burial. An ornate above-ground tomb, designed as a grand monument, was placed on top of this vault.

The vault contains the remains of local church leader Reverend Charles Lewis, who passed away in the mid-18th century, alongside his wife’s body and five other family members. There were also two children interred within the vault, one who died at just six years old and another who was an infant.

Fillery mentioned the insights gained from an earlier recording of graves and their inscriptions that provide context for this family’s burial history.

Church officials clarified that the incident was “incredibly rare” and attributed the collapse solely to structural failure rather than weather conditions or soil erosion, contrary to earlier reports.