Maps stored at East Riding Archives show the impact of erosion on the East Yorkshire coast dating as far back as the 16th Century.
A map created by Christopher Saxton in 1577 shows a number of hamlets and villages that went on to succumb to the sea, including places such as Dimlington, Owthorne and Waxholme.
By 1786, a map produced by John Tuke shows Hornsea Beck had completely disappeared.
Dr Caitlin Green, who specialises in history, archaeology and place names, said 38 houses had been destroyed in Hornsea Beck since 1547. By 1695, all but one or two houses had washed away.
Fast-forward to 1912 and a map showing the lost towns of East Yorkshire, by Thomas Sheppard, shows locations that used to be inland, such as Old Kilnsea, Ravenspurn and Out Newton.
As a whole, the maps are visual evidence of more than 30 locations disappearing from the East Yorkshire coast in the past 400 years.
Hannah Stamp, who works at the archives, said: “It is very worrying to see, in particular for communities living along the coast who are directly impacted by this every day.”