WHAT MAKES A MEMORIAL

The information contained on this website refers to memorials usually erected in ceremonies or churchyards. These need to be of a material that:

Time has shown that natural stone (i.e. Stone, Slate, Marble and Granite) had all these qualities.

CHOOSING A MEMORIAL

Because a memorial is a lasting monument to your loved one and a tribute to a persons life, perhaps a final gift to some one dearly loved, it is important to choose it carefully.

Hasty decisions made while still in great distress frequently results in later regrets, so it can be sensible to wait - and to spend time on selecting a suitable design. The best places to gain inspiration from your required memorial is to visit local cemeteries or churchyards, this way you can get a sense of the type of memorials and style of lettering that others have chosen, you may find the odd verse that you think is appropriate to use.

WHAT YOU MAY CHOOSE

General: Cemeteries and churchyards generally have regulations governing the kinds of memorials, and sometimes also the inscriptions and ornamentation, they will allow. These vary from place to place and so need to be checked before any choice is made. Our memorial consultant will be able to advise you accordingly.

Cremation: There are often special areas for the burial of cremated remains. Some just have a central memorial commemorating all those buried nearby.

In others, headstones or plaques can be erected on the individual plots. Again, our memorial consultant will be able to advise you.

OBTAINING PERMISSION TO ERECT A MEMORIAL

Before any memorial can be erected either in a churchyard or cemetery written permission has to be obtained from the authority in charge. Our memorial consultant will apply for for the necessary permission to the appropriate authority on your behalf. Normally the memorials will not be ordered until full written permission is granted, so please be patient.

THE INITIAL INQUIRY

New memorials: Whilst we are happy to send you our full colour brochure, we are also happy for you to visit our showroom and meet you on site if you have found a memorial you like in a churchyard or cemetery. Our brochure is not exhaustive and only shows a small selection of the designs available.

In either instance, a full itemised estimate and computer generated layout of the memorial will be produced free of charge. The estimate will include all the cost involved in erecting your chosen memorial, it will include the memorial itself with the full details of the size, material etc, the lettering style and finish, and ornamentation, the secure installation of the memorial on a proper foundation using the Namm / Bramm approved fixing, churchyard or cemetery fees and VAT.

You will be required to sign and return one copy of the estimate before the order can be placed. Once the order is in hand no cancellation can be accepted.

Please note: Lettering and ornamentation can be hand carved, sand blasted or machine cut. These options and the different types of stone available all vary in price but again all options will be explained to you in full by our memorial consultant.

If you obtain estimates from masons other than ourselves, please do check them carefully to make sure you are really comparing like for like. Not all masons are NAMM or BRAMM registered, and do not use the approved fixings to ensure that your memorial will remain in place for years to come.

PLACING THE ORDER

When you place the order, you will be asked to pay a deposit, with the balance of the agreed price payable once the memorial is erected and you are satisfied with it.

Before signing, confirm your order is important to check it thoroughly.

Pay particular attention that the wording and spelling of the inscription, ad any dates, are shown correctly. Any alterations should be confirmed immediately and in writing. We are happy to alter the estimate and associated layouts as many times as required until you are fully satisfied with the order.

Please note: Unless you give definite written instructions on the contract, the layout of the inscription will be left to the experience and discretion of the letter cutter.

The availability of the materials, the complexity of the design and the condition of the ground will affect the time the memorial will take to complete.

Once again our memorial consultant will fully advise you on all of these controlling factors.

CERTIFICATE OF GUARANTEE

In accordance to the NAMM rules and regulations, upon full and final settlement of your account for the memorial, you will be issued with our signed certificate of guarantee which lasts for ten years from the date of erection. You will also be sent a complimentary colour photograph of the memorial in situ for your records or to show the wider family.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR MEMORIALS

It is important to remember that it is you and not the cemetary or churchyard, who is responsible for the maintenance of your memorial. If it should become dilapidated or unsafe, steps may be taken to lay it down or remove it altogether.

It is therefore wise to arrange for it to be regularly maintained and insured.

MAINTENANCE

Over the years, it has become more apparent that not everyone is able to attend the memorial as regularly as they would like, either because they no longer live in the area or have not been informed.

As a solution to this problem, we offer a Grave Maintenance scheme, which can not only take into account the memorial stone itself but the grass area around the memorial or planted area in front of the memorial. Arrangements through our scheme can also make provision for the placing of flowers on the memorial at a poignant time throughout the year, such as birthdays or anniversaries.

Obviously there is a cost involved for this service and there are three level agreements that can be chosen from, Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. For further information and details of what is included in each of the packages please contact our memorial consultant.

INSURANCE

It is always advisable to insure a memorial against accidental damage, vandalism and theft - and to make sure the cover takes effect immediately once the memorial is fixed in the cemetary or churchyard. The cost is very reasonable and usually insignificant when compared with the possible cost of repairs or replacement.

We recommend Bridge Insurance Company, although other schemes are available. Bridge's STONEGUARD scheme is one payment of five years cover and this can be arranged to cover an existing memorial subject to inspection.

CLEANING AND RENOVATIONS

Whilst we are happy to supply new memorials, cleaning and renovating existing memorials can be extremely successful and something that we heartily recommend.

Before you order a new memorial, consider the renovation and cleaning of your existing family memorial, at some point in time, someone in your family spent time choosing and considering the style of this memorial and the wording upon it. Once cleaned, If you are still not happy, we will not charge you as long as the new memorial is ordered from us.

One of our experienced masons will visit the memorial and will write a full report that will be presented to you through our memorial consultant, this will detail all the works required to bring it back to its original form.

Following the renovation, you will be sent a complimentary before and after photograph of your memorial for your consideration.