Choosing a Memorial

  
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Choosing a Memorial
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There are several different factors to be taken into consideration when choosing a memorial:
Selecting stone type
Selecting stone shape
Selecting ornamentation
Selecting size
Selecting lettering finish

SELECTING STONE TYPE

Granite

Granite is the most durable, and the most popular stone used in the manufacture of memorials. It can be supplied in the following finishes;
Rustic (natural, rough edged - with polished or sended face)
Sanded (smooth, matt finish)
Part Polished (gloss polished face of headstone & top of base, remainder of memorial sanded)
All polished (all visible surfaces gloss polished)
The all polished finish is the most resistant to weathering and can be expected to maintain it's original appearance for more than 50 years after being fixed in the cemetery.

Granite is available in almost every colour imaginable from white to black, red to green and also in various multicolour shades. The following are merely the most popular colours;

Khammam Ebony (dense black)   Blue Pearl (pearlescent blue/grey)
Deep Dark Grey   Blue Brown Pearl
Speckled Dark Grey   Himalayan Blue (grey/violet)
Karin (light grey)   Lavender Blue (light blue/grey)
Glenaby(medium grey)   Peterhead (pink)
Paradiso (black/pink/grey multicolour)   Sherwood (green)
Balmoral (red)   Kashmir (white)
Emerald Pearl (pearlescent green/black)    

Slate

Slate is available in either Rustic, Fine Rubbed or Combined (fine rubbed faces, rustic back and sides) finishes. Lakeland slate occurs in Light Sea Green, Dark Olive Green or Blue colours, whereas Welsh slate is a dark grey. Slate memorials can be made to any size or shape, or are available as natural "boulders" with smooth lettering panels or faces.

Marble

Marble comes from the Carrara region of Italy and is white in colouring with random grey veining. Marble memorials invariably have a fine rubbed finish.

Limestone

Limestone can be made with Fine Rubbed or Combined finishes and is cream in colour.

York Stone

York Stone is a light brown/sandy colour and suitable for Fine Rubbed or Combined finishes.

SELECTING A SHAPE

Our online catalogue illustrates the standard memorial shapes. Memorials can normally be made in any outline from simple a rectangle to a heart or teddy bear. Flower container holes are usually bored through the memorial bases to hold aluminium flower vases. Vases can be inserted in the centre, either side or both sides of the base as required. Alternatively any memorial can be supplied without a container hole.

SELECTING ORNAMENTATION


All memorials can be manufactured with only lettering on the headstone face, but often some ornamentation is etched or carved into the memorial.

Polished granite is suitable for etched or grit blasted designs which can vary in complexity from simple roses and V-cut outlines to elaborate etchings producing almost photographic detail. Any conceivable design can be etched into granite with first-class results, e.g. badges or emblems, reproductions of photographs, sketches or pictures from magazines or books.

Marble, Limestone, York Stone and Slate, because they are unable to take a highly polished finish, are suitable for deeper, relief carvings and figures.

SELECTING SIZE

Memorials can be produced in any size, but local cemetery and churchyard regulations usually have maximum, and occasionally minimum, dimensions permitted. The two most popular sizes are as follows;

Standard:
Headstone 27" x 21" x 3",
Base 24" x 12" x 3"
(30" overall height)
Large:
Headstone 30" x 24" x 4",
Base 30" x 12" x 4"
(34" overall height)

SELECTING LETTERING FINISH

Lettering on Granite is usually finished with gold leaf, but may also be painted, usually white on dark granites and black on lighter stones. Lettering on Marble is normally finished in black enamel or flush lead. York Stone and Limestone letters are usually finished in black enamel. Inscriptions on Slate can be gilded, painted black or white. All inscriptions can simply be carved into the stone without finishing in a contrasting colour. In these circumstances, the lettering is carved deeper than normal, thus ensuring the inscription is clearly legible.

 

 

CEMETERY FEES

Most Churchyards and cemeteries charge a fee for erecting a memorial and for adding an inscription to an existing memorial.
Lancaster City Council cemetery fees are £60.00 for a new memorial and £17.50 for an additional inscription. Other local district council cemetery fees are £45.00 and £22.50 respectively.

All Church of England churchyards and burial grounds operate standard fees of £94.00 for a new memorial and £22.00 for an additional inscription. Other denominations generally charge no fee, or significantly less than the Church of England.