Somerset church tomb collapse exposes 1700s stone crypt

9 November 2025

Bea SwallowWest of England

Handout A stone box tomb which has collapsed into a large hole in the ground, through the soil and into the crypt below, a small stone home buried underground. There are metal barriers around the hole and a man in a high-vis jacket. There are other gravestones very close to the edge of the hole, which is about 12ft (3.6m) wide. — The collapsed box tomb sat upon a large underground crypt, thought to have been constructed in the 1700s

An ancient box tomb thought to be built in the 1700s has collapsed in a church cemetery, exposing a large underground crypt.

The 12ft (3.6m) hole opened up at All Saints Church in Martock, Somerset, on Saturday afternoon, the day before Remembrance Sunday services were held inside.

Rev Paul Fillery said the incident was likely caused by rain gradually eroding the soil and foundations, but will not know for certain until a survey is completed.

Martock Parish Council, which is responsible for upkeep and maintenance of the churchyard, which is now full, secured the site with safety barriers.

The collapse revealed the underground crypt’s Ham stone walls, which today is only quarried in two active areas at Ham Hill in Somerset

All Saint's Church A composite image showing close ups of the damage to the box tomb and crypt. The stone structure has fallen through the ground and broken apart. — The collapse revealed the underground crypt’s Ham stone walls, which today is only quarried in two active areas at Ham Hill in Somerset

Rev Fillery said the box tomb had caved “quite suddenly” into a “large sinkhole”.

He added they could sadly no longer read the inscription because the tomb had been reduced to a “pile of rubble”.

It is currently unclear whether the collapse has damaged surrounding graves or how fragile the ground is.

“We are working together with the parish council and taking expert advice from the diocese as to the best way forward,” he said.

“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.”

All Saints Church was built over several centuries, with parts dating back to the 13th Century and significant rebuilding in the 15th and 16th Centuries.