Inside lost UK village known as 'Britain's Atlantis' that lies underneath sea

The once-thriving port town of Dunwich in Suffolk was once the capital of East Anglia, but now lies beneath the waves of the North Sea off the coast of east England

A once bustling port town, on par with the vibrancy of London, now lies submerged beneath the North Sea off the East England coast.

This village is often referred to as Britain's own Atlantis, a legendary city believed to be buried deep within the ocean.

Dunwich in Suffolk was once a thriving medieval port and the capital of East Anglia.

However, years of relentless storms and coastal erosion caused the entire city to succumb to the sea, disappearing beneath the waves.

Research using sonar technology has been conducted to map out the underwater streets and buildings of Dunwich's past, making the sunken town a subject of folklore.

It is said that during storms, the bells of lost churches can be heard ringing from beneath the waves. A tale also tells of a heartbroken woman who haunts the coastline after being deserted by her lover.

The legend narrates that in her despair, she ripped out her heart and threw it into the sea but was unable to die, leaving her to wander along the coastline of the forgotten city.

Her heart, which appears wooden, occasionally washes ashore and is believed to bring great misfortune to anyone unfortunate enough to pick it up.

According to the BBC, since around the 1960s, fishermen have reported their nets getting caught on hidden objects beneath the waves where the old town once stood.

Local marine archaeologist Stuart Bacon's curiosity led him to brave the hostile North Sea, and in 1972, on a particularly clear day, he glimpsed the tower of a church emerging from the dark waters.

Fast forward to 2008, and a team from the University of Southampton utilised advanced mapping technology to reveal two churches of the submerged settlement.

The churches rest in less than ten metres of water within a trench running parallel to the shore.

Historical map comparisons have confirmed that one is indeed the remains of St Peter's Church, swallowed by the sea in the 1690s, while the other is likely St Nicolas' Church, lost in the mid-15th century.

The scientists were also able to outline the town's streets and boundaries through this mapping technique.

Peter Murphy, coastal survey expert at English Heritage, expressed his astonishment at the discovery, noting how much of Dunwich was still visible underwater.

"Everyone was surprised, though, by how much of the eroded town still survives under the sea and is identifiable."

"Whilst we cannot stop the forces of nature, we can ensure what is significant is recorded and our knowledge and memory of a place doesn't get lost forever. Professor Sear and his team have developed techniques that will be valuable to understanding submerged and eroded terrestrial sites elsewhere."