A gravestone is more than just a marker
over a grave - it is a lasting symbol of remembrance and a tribute
to the life of the deceased person. It is therefore important to
take care over the design and the choice of mason. Hasty decisions
made while in a distraught condition can cause regrets later, so it
is often advisable to wait and perhaps spend some time looking
around.
Choosing a monumental mason
Although the City of London Cemetery is not
permitted to recommend specific masons, it can provide you with a
list of masons who regularly carry out work here. This is not a
guarantee of their materials or workmanship.
You may wish to choose a mason based on
recommendation from friends or relatives, but we advise that as
with all important purchases, you should obtain written quotes from
a least three different companies and ask to see examples of their
work.
The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium
does not condone the soliciting or canvassing of any individual or
company in regard to memorial work, and would remind visitors that
it does not employ its own masons.
If anyone approaches you and offers to
carry out memorial work (new memorials, additional inscriptions or
renovations), please inform the Conservation Team on
020 8530 9836.
Any monumental masons behaving in this
inappropriate manner may, under the Rules and Regulations, be
banned from carrying out work within the cemetery.
Selecting the
gravestone
As well as ordering the gravestone which best suits your needs it
is important to remember that the size, colour, shape and style may
be limited by
cemetery regulations. Generally speaking, a gravestone should
be made of a solid stone such as granite, marble, limestone or
Portland stone. In some parts of the cemetery only light-coloured
stone is permitted to blend in with the existing landscape.
Photo
plaques
A photograph plaque of your loved one may be fixed to the
gravestone. The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium can supply
these.
Selecting an
inscription
It is important to take your time in choosing the appropriate
inscription, and you will need to bear in mind the length of text
used. If the inscription is very long, there may not be sufficient
room on the stone for future additions.
Vase
plates
A vase plate is an additional item that you may choose to be placed
in front of the grave stone. You will need to consider how many
flower vases it needs to accommodate. We recommend that all vase
plates are inscribed with the grave number and square number.
Obtaining
permission
Before a gravestone can be erected
in the cemetery, the mason must submit a permit to the cemetery and
pay the appropriate fee. Once the permit has been approved, the
mason will return to the cemetery where the grave stone will be
inspected before and after it is put into place.
Permits are sometimes refused and returned to
the mason if, for example
a) The correct grave owner has not signed the
permit and given their name in full, exactly as it appears in the
Cemetery records (if there is more than one registered owner, all
the owners must give their full name(s) and sign the permit).
b) The grave stone does not meet our
regulations.
The City of London Cemetery will not allow any masonry work to be
carried out without the correct permit.
Responsibility
for the gravestone
The grave owner (not the cemetery) is responsible for the
maintenance of the gravestone, and should the stone become unstable
or dilapidated, steps may be taken to lay it down, remove it or
make it safe.
If you have any questions, please contact us on
020 8530 2151 between 9.30am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday (except
Bank Holidays).
You may also wish to contact the
National
Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM)
27a Albert Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2SG, tel 01788 542264,
fax 01788 542276 or
email.