During the Middle Stone Age or Mesolithic period, the population in northern Great Britain was very limited, only reaching about 1,000 people. Archaeological findings reveal that around 8,200 years ago, the number of sites or settlements in the northwestern European region experienced a sharp decline. Although previously linked to a general decrease in temperature across the continent, some researchers argue that coastal communities may not have been affected by climate change during that period.

In the southern part of northern England, wave heights reach a range of 3 to 6 meters. To investigate the potential impact of a tsunami on the local population, researchers used computer wave simulations at the important Mesolithic site of Howick in Northumberland, in northeastern England. Analysis of sediment cores found at this location, which approximately corresponds to the tsunami period, indicates the possibility of the site being submerged due to flooding during the disaster event.