Frequently Asked Questions

You can place an order by contacting us via phone, email, or by arranging a home visit. Most of the ordering process can be carried out over the phone or by email. However, we do need the grave owner's signature on the order form, which we will post to your address with a pre-paid envelope for you to return the signed documents to us. We will guide you through the design, inscription, and overall process.

We believe that purchasing a memorial headstone is such an important decision that it requires personal consultation. There are many variables in the process which will affect your order, such as what is allowed by your particular cemetery and whether your inscription will fit on the memorial you have chosen. It is possible to order over the phone or by email, where our staff will be able to help and advise you. We also offer a home visit service which is completely free of charge and without obligation.

You are able to cancel or amend your order with a small penalty, provided the stone hasn't been manufactured or inscribed. You will be advised of any penalty at the time of order, in writing.

We don't offer instalment plans. Given the specialist nature and lead times of our work, we require a 50% deposit plus the cemetery or churchyard fee upfront when you place your order. The remaining balance is due before installation. We accept all major credit and debit cards, as well as bank transfers. Please contact our team if you have any questions about payment timings.

This very much depends on the size and material of your chosen headstone. We have memorial stones to suit every budget, starting from our value memorials and ranging up to several thousand pounds for large custom memorials with lots of extras. If you are keen to keep costs low, it is best to choose a simple shape in black granite. For a more personalised memorial, there are optional extras like photo plaques, statues, and other decorative items. We will give you a detailed quote showing all fees and itemised costs, so you know exactly what the bottom line is before placing your order.

The items included will be clearly explained in the description text for each product. As a general guide, extra costs can include: cemetery fees, additional sandblasted designs, photo plaques, extra letters (beyond any free allowance), bespoke sizes, kerbset chippings, and other customisations. We will give you a detailed quote showing all fees and itemised costs, so you know exactly what the bottom line is before placing your order.

Cemetery or crematoria fees are not a standard price and vary by location. If you tell us the grave location details, we will be able to find out for you. Alternatively, the cemetery would be able to give you the information directly if you prefer to call them yourself. Once you have placed an order, the process of obtaining a permit is carried out by us on your behalf and is generally straightforward.

You can order our designs in many different materials, the most popular being black or grey granite. Some cemeteries and graveyards have restrictions on which materials can be used, which is something we would clarify before you place an order. Most of our memorial designs can be manufactured in a different colour or material to the one shown. There may be some restrictions placed on your choice of material by the cemetery or churchyard, and we will be able to advise you about that once you tell us where your loved one is to be interred.

Standard overall height for most memorials are 2ft 6" or 3ft, but we can customise our designs to whatever size or material you need, subject to availability and approval by the cemetery. Our memorials also come in a variety of shapes, such as book-shaped gravestones and heart-shaped gravestones. The prices shown are for the sizes and materials displayed, but please contact us for a quote if you need a different size.

If the particular shape or style of memorial you would like is not in our standard collection, we will be happy to work with you to create something bespoke. Whether it is just swapping one type of vase or statue for another, or creating a whole new design, we have the expertise to guide you through it. We can provide you with a scale drawing of the proposed memorial and inscription for your approval before work begins.

Yes, this is possible but will depend on the regulations at your cemetery. We will be able to check this and advise further when we do your quotation. All memorials need to have an approved permit from the cemetery before we begin to manufacture them.

Most of our memorials will be able to fit a photo plaque, but this very much depends on two things: the size of memorial you have chosen and the quantity of inscription text you wish to add. We will be able to advise on this before you place your order and, if necessary, show you a mock-up to confirm the fit. As a guide, the standard photo plaque is a 10cm x 8cm oval, though we also supply rectangular, square, heart, teardrop heart, and church window shapes.

You can send photo plaque images to us by post as physical photographs or as digital files by email attachment. The photograph you choose should be clear and preferably of a high print quality. We can remove backgrounds and other people from the photo if necessary. Try to choose a photo which is not blurred or damaged in any way. Consider whether the photo would best suit a landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) photo plaque. In some cases, your choice is restricted by the size and shape of your stone and the quantity of inscription text. If you are unsure, please contact our staff and they will advise you.

We offer a wide range of personalisation options including laser-etched designs, sandblasted ornaments, shape-carved ornaments, ceramic photo plaques, bronze ornaments, figurines, stained glass windows, and various decorative accessories. Laser etching allows for a much greater level of detail and personalisation than traditional sandblasting, and is most effective when applied to darker granite. Our experienced staff can advise on the best options to reflect the life and story of your loved one.

We use only the highest quality materials, especially premium granite and marble in a wide range of colours. Each memorial is crafted with care to ensure lasting quality and durability against the elements. We work directly with stone quarries for premium granite and marble, ensuring we can offer you greater control over the process of choosing the right material and the right memorial.

It's no surprise that granite is such a popular choice for headstones: honed granite is allowed in most churchyards, granite is a traditional material for headstones, designs and lettering etched onto granite won't fade, it's a versatile stone with many colours and finishes available, and granite is incredibly durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions.

Granite headstones, especially with a polished finish, are easy to maintain by cleaning with a soft, damp cloth or a very soft brush. If not using a specialist company, clean water applied with a soft brush is an alternative means of cleaning a memorial. Soap and other cleaners which may contain alkalines or acids may cause damage. All polished granite memorials should be washed gently with a very soft brush or cloth, taking great care not to scratch the surface of the memorial. Enamel or gold leaf finished lettering should not be washed vigorously but dabbed with a clean sponge and clear water. Avoid harsh chemicals, bleach, or abrasive sponges as these can strip off the polish or damage painted inscriptions.

The memorial can be badly stained by rust from the wire of wreaths, oil and dye from artificial flowers. Some flowers may leave a stain on marble or stone if blossoms come into contact with it. Although the marks cannot be removed by rubbing, the sun may eventually bleach them out in the course of time. Should the flower holder facility in the memorial base show signs of water retention, please check that the drainage holes are not blocked, stopping excess water draining away.

Yes, we offer professional cleaning and renovation services. Getting your memorial professionally cleaned can make old, tired, and dirty memorials look new again. Some moulds, algae, and lichens are extremely difficult to remove, but our fully trained personnel can carefully apply a special solution to help rejuvenate the memorial. We also offer inscription renovation, refixing services for memorials that have become unstable, and alterations if you are unhappy with the wording or layout of the inscription.

It is important to note that it is you and not the burial ground who is responsible for the maintenance of your memorial. If it should become dilapidated or unsafe, the burial authority may well contact you to ask that it is repaired or secured, otherwise steps may be taken by them to lay it down or remove it. It is therefore wise to arrange for it to be regularly maintained and insured.

Memorials are generally erected in public areas and are therefore susceptible to damage by vehicles (if the memorial is positioned near a path or roadway), lawn mowers, falling trees or branches, storm damage, vandalism, theft, and ground subsidence. We can offer insurance specifically for memorials in public burial grounds for a very modest premium. Please contact us to receive an information leaflet or to discuss the cover provided. Please be aware that insurance cover does not include normal wear and tear, weathering, or the deterioration of an applied finish to any inscription or ornamentation.

It is often the case that a couple will want to be interred in the same place. When this is the case, we will lay out the lettering, designs, and photos on your chosen memorial so that it leaves space for an additional inscription of similar size. A book memorial or triple heart memorial is a great way to achieve this.

Yes. You will need to make the shipping arrangements yourself, but we are happy to liaise with an agent about timings and crate up your memorial ready for collection. There is a cost associated with this, so please contact us for a quote once you have decided which memorial you would like.

Yes, absolutely! We can create completely bespoke stones according to your needs. We have created fully carved teddy headstones, replica cartoon characters, and even memorials in the shape of the deceased's initial. Please call us to talk through your ideas.

Yes, we are able to reduce the size of most memorials in our collection. If this is not possible due to a particularly intricate memorial style, we would be able to suggest something similar to achieve the effect you are after.

Too often in the past, we have been asked to re-letter a memorial simply because decisions were made too quickly. Please allow yourself time after the funeral before planning a memorial, as it can be difficult to make decisions when grieving, and mistakes can be expensive. Share the planning and design with other family members or friends if you can. It can be helpful to have another opinion and it is also important to make sure you are all happy with the final result.