How do I choose a headstone?
This is a big subject! Obviously your own tastes form a large part of the decision making process and we have many designs and ways to customise a memorial headstone to take these into account. We can even work from your own ideas and unique artwork. There are, however, a number of other considerations such as cemetery/churchyard regulations, practicality of the material
Memorial Regulations
At first glance it may look like a cemetery or churchyard will allow pretty much anything but the truth is that every burial ground has a list of regulations. These can range from maximum (and sometimes minimum) sizes to the types of material allowed and the designs thereon. Most cemeteries only allow a full kerb in certain areas and Church of England churchyards don’t allow kerbs at all. Some cemeteries require special fixing methods or foundations which require memorials to be modified to suit. When you make an enquiry we will take all these things into account and advise accordingly, we hold the details of regulations for the majority of councils and dioceses across the country.
Materials
Granite is used for most memorial headstones supplied new these days and for very good reason. This versatile material is extremely resistant to ageing & weathering and comes in a large range of colours and finishes. It’s resilience means that the lettering and designs or carving thereon will remain for, probably, thousands of years. The availability of granite and modern manufacturing processes mean that it is not only the most practical but also the most cost effective material for memorials.
White marble is beautiful when new and if kept clean but can discolour over time. It is easily worked and can be used for very fine, detailed carving. Care should be taken that the marble supplied is Italian white marble, we have seen quite a bit of Chinese marble on the market in recent years but this can have quite a course crystal structure which makes it quite brittle and easily damaged, I have no idea how well it will stand up to our damp climate and frosty winters.
Portland, Purbeck & Yorkstone (along with slate which I will come on to next) are the most common of our indigenous stones but there are a number of other more local stones around the country. These are traditional in churchyards and older sections of cemeteries around the country. They have a ‘softer’ look than marble or granite and will ‘weather down’ over time which is a look a lot of people like. They are especially good at taking a hand-cut letter characterised by the ‘v’ cut of the chisel and sharp serifs as on war graves.
Slate being the green Westmorland slate or the grey Welsh slate has been used for many years for memorials. It resists the weather very well and works wonderfully with fine hand-cut letters. At the time of editing (December 2019) slate is the most expensive of materials and monumental quality slate has become difficult to come across leading to extended waiting times – but, in my opinion, worth the wait.
Lettering & Decoration
The amount of letters and whether there is more than 1 name (or another added in the future) going on the stone can be a factor in deciding the size of the stone. For 2 names maybe a book design is desired where they can (eventually) go side by side. Modern carvings on granite are much better detailed than in the past but if you want a contrast in colour between the face of the stone and carving then a dark stone should be chosen, if you prefer them to blend then a lighter colour would be more suitable. Etched designs work better on dark stones as it is the colour of the stone which provides the lines between the blocks of colour. More detail on this subject can be found here – https://qualityheadstones.co.uk/uncategorized/how-are-pictures-put-onto-headstones/
Have I answered the question ‘How do I choose a headstone?’ As I said this is a big subject and maybe you are more, rather than less, confused by now! Don’t worry, we can advise on all these subjects and more, this is part of the service we offer. If you submit an enquiry and we need to make changes for regulations or we can advise a better way to do things we will.