THE PROCESS

STEP 1 – MEET

You can visit us, we can make an appointment to visit you, or we can arrange an online consultation. Alternatively, you can email us your initial thoughts and ideas.

Checklist of information we need from you:

• Names
• Dates of birth and death
• Churchyard or cemetery address
• Interment reference or plot number, if known.
• Diocese or council authority (if it’s known, don’t worry if not).
• Preferred wording for an inscription, or ideas if you’re not sure.
• Imagery or emblem ideas, if you have any.

STEP 2 – ESTIMATE

From our first discussions, we will give you a quotation, giving you an indication of likely costs considering design time, stone cost, time to carve, delivery and installation costs, and applicable fees from the diocese or council authorities.

Each project is unique, with different combinations of material, lettering and inscriptions, carving, location, and installation, and as such, the pricing of every job is calculated individually.

STEP 3 – DESIGN

We will start producing sketch proposals to show you within two to three weeks from receipt of the deposit, and we’ll usually follow up if we haven’t heard from you within a few weeks after that.

We always factor in time for revisions or reworking of the design, and this can go back and forth until you’re happy. The result is a final design, which we will ask you to sign off on.

We will show you stone samples and examples of memorials in particular stones and will advise you of suitable material.

STEP 4 – APPLICATION

We will apply for the relevant permits from the authority or diocese responsible for the location of the memorial. To facilitate this, we endeavour to always produce designs that are comfortably within the rules applicable to any one location, so we are usually confident of approval.

There are occasional exceptions, usually in churchyards, that need what’s called a Faculty. We can advise and administer this on your behalf. It can increase the time taken to complete the memorial, however.

STEP 5 – FEES

We ask for a deposit once you have accepted our quotation. The balance is payable prior to delivery of the completed memorial.

There is a national scale of fees for introducing memorials into UK churchyards, available in the Church of England’s Table of Parochial Fees (renewable each year).

STEP 6 – STONE

We discussed stone during design, and now we will order an appropriate stone directly from the quarry. Lead times can vary for this, ranging from 6 to 12 weeks, or sometimes longer for high-demand or unusual stones. We’ll advise you as soon as we know.

Each council has its own fees for cemeteries. See your local council website for details.

STEP 7 – CARVING

The design is copied to the stone, and you will be invited to visit and inspect the layout at this stage, or we can send photographs if it’s not convenient to come to the workshop.

This is the final chance to make any changes. Once you are happy, we’ll begin carving. At this stage, we’ll give you a clear idea of when to expect the finished stone, and we’ll keep you updated on progress with photos if you request that.

STEP 8 – INSTALLATION

Once all the details are cut and we’re happy, we’ll again invite you to inspect the finished stone or, as before, send pictures.

Finally, we’ll arrange a delivery and installation date. You can be present for the installation, but we generally find it’s better to leave it for a few days and visit it in your own time.

We prefer to install using the traditional monolith method, which means a significant portion of the stone is below ground and supported within a stabilising ‘shoe’. This is a much more robust method and ensures the stone will stay upright far longer than other methods.

HAND-CARVED, BESPOKE MEMORIALS AND HEADSTONES