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Memorial Services

Memorial services help you care for an existing headstone, add new wording or find another way to share a loved one’s story. From cleaning and lettering renovation to refacing, memorial insurance and QR codes, we can help you explore the options and decide on the next step.
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Care and Renovation

Cleaning, repairs and lettering renovation can improve the appearance and readability of an existing memorial. We can also discuss additional inscriptions and refacing where changes are needed, with the condition and the space guiding what can be done.
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Protection and Memories

Memorial insurance provides a way to consider cover for unexpected damage, while a QR code can link a headstone to photographs, videos and written memories. These services offer different ways to care for a tribute and keep a person’s story accessible.
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Here to Help

If you are unsure what your memorial needs, a photograph and its location are a useful starting point. Our team can discuss your enquiry, explain which details are needed and check whether an assessment or permission will be required before work begins.
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Caring for Your Memorial

There are different reasons to revisit an existing memorial. You may need to add a further name, restore lettering that has faded or arrange cleaning after years of exposure to the weather. In some cases, the original stone can be retained while its appearance or inscription is updated. The right approach depends on its material, condition and the changes you would like to make.

Start by sending us a clear photograph of the memorial and letting us know where it is situated. We can discuss your wishes, identify what needs to be checked and explain the options before any work is agreed. The services below also include information about memorial insurance and QR codes, helping you consider both the physical memorial and other ways to preserve and share memories.

Additional Inscriptions

An additional inscription allows a further name, dates or dedication to become part of an existing memorial. It may commemorate another family member following a burial or interment of ashes, while keeping their tribute alongside the original wording. Depending on the memorial and the space available, an addition may include:

  • A further name and relevant dates
  • A closing line that brings the inscriptions together
  • A family relationship or short dedication
  • A few personal words of remembrance

The available space and existing design will guide the addition, including the size of the lettering, its position and its finish. We can help you consider your proposed wording alongside the original inscription, taking account of any cemetery or churchyard requirements before the details are agreed.

Matching the Existing Lettering

Matching the Existing Lettering

The original lettering provides a starting point for the new inscription, helping guide its style, size, spacing and finish. The aim is for the addition to sit comfortably alongside the existing wording and remain in keeping with the memorial’s design. Where paint or gilding has faded, renovating the original inscription at the same time may help create a more consistent appearance across both the old and new lettering.

Making the Most of the Space

Making the Most of the Space

Careful planning helps make the best use of the space available without making the inscription feel crowded. A shorter dedication or a different arrangement of the new wording may provide a suitable solution while preserving the balance of the memorial. Where there is insufficient room for the intended addition, refacing may be worth considering, subject to the stone’s condition and suitability, so the complete inscription can be planned together.

Renovations and Cleaning

Weather, surrounding trees and the passing years can leave a memorial stained, uneven or looking tired. Our memorial renovation and headstone cleaning service can improve its appearance and address areas that need attention, while respecting the material, age and character of the original stone. Depending on its condition, the work may include:

  • Securing loose components and joints
  • Levelling or refixing stonework that has moved
  • Assessing chips, cracks or damaged fittings
  • Cleaning dirt, algae and surface deposits

Not every memorial needs the same treatment. Granite, marble and natural stone respond differently to cleaning, while a stone that is loose or leaning needs more than a cosmetic clean. Send us photographs with the cemetery and grave details, or ask us to arrange an inspection, and we will explain what work is suitable before providing a quotation.

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Cleaning with Care

A memorial should be cleaned in a way that suits its material and condition. We first look at the surface, the type of staining and any previous treatment. The aim is to remove dirt and organic growth carefully, without using an unnecessarily harsh process or promising an artificial, newly made finish.
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Stability Before Appearance

If a memorial is leaning, loose or beginning to sink, its stability needs to be considered before its appearance. We can assess the stonework and advise whether it should be levelled, refixed or removed for further work, following the fixing requirements of the cemetery or churchyard.
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Replacement Pieces

Loose joints, chips and damaged vases can affect both the appearance and condition of a memorial. Where repair is practical, we will explain what can be done. If a part cannot be retained, we can look at a suitable replacement that sits comfortably with the original stonework.
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Setting Realistic Expectations

Renovation can make a marked difference, but an older memorial may not return to an as-new finish. Deep staining, weathering and earlier repairs can remain visible. We will set out the likely result before work begins, so you can decide whether the proposed renovation feels worthwhile.

Inscription Renovation

Lettering can fade long before the memorial itself needs wider renovation. Paint may lose its colour, gold leaf can wear away and dirt can settle within cut letters, making an inscription harder to read. Inscription renovation concentrates on the existing wording and may include:

  • Cleaning recessed lettering and carved detail
  • Repainting letters in a suitable colour
  • Renewing gold leaf where appropriate
  • Assessing worn or shallow characters

The original inscription guides the work, from the lettering style and spacing to its colour and finish. We will assess how clearly the characters remain, whether the existing surface can be renewed and whether further work is needed to achieve an even result. If the lettering is too shallow or the face has deteriorated, we will explain the alternatives before anything is arranged.

Matching the Existing Lettering

Repainting and Regilding

Where the carved letters remain clear, repainting or regilding can restore their definition without changing the wording or layout. The inscription is cleaned and prepared before the chosen finish is applied to the existing characters. We can retain the established appearance or discuss another suitable finish, taking account of the stone, the original lettering and any requirements set by the cemetery or churchyard.

Making the Most of the Space

When the Letters Have Worn

Sometimes the finish is not the only issue. If the characters have become shallow, damaged or difficult to distinguish, applying fresh paint or gold leaf may not provide a lasting or even result. Depending on the stone, recutting may be possible; in other cases, refacing the memorial could provide a better surface for the complete inscription. We will explain the difference before recommending either option.

Memorial Refacing

Memorial refacing involves carefully working back the inscribed face of a stone to provide a fresh, even surface for new lettering. It may be considered when the original inscription is badly worn, previous alterations have left the layout unbalanced or there is no suitable room for another name. Refacing allows:

  • The complete inscription to be planned afresh
  • Worn lettering and previous finishes to be removed
  • Names, dates and dedications to be arranged together
  • A clear new layout to be approved before cutting

Refacing is a permanent change and is not suitable for every memorial. The depth, condition, material and existing decoration all need to be assessed before it is recommended. We will explain what can be retained, what the renewed face could look like and whether another option would preserve more of the original stone.

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When Refacing May Help

An additional inscription is not always easy to place beneath or beside the original wording. There may be too little room, the letters may have worn unevenly or several earlier additions may no longer sit comfortably together. Refacing makes it possible to consider the complete inscription as one layout, provided the stone has sufficient depth and remains in suitable condition to work with.
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Agreeing the New Face

Because the existing face and wording will be removed, every detail needs to be agreed beforehand. We will record the present inscription, discuss any carved features that can be retained and prepare the full new layout for your approval. Where the memorial must be removed for workshop work, the proposed lifting, transport and refitting will be explained as part of the quotation.

Memorial Insurance

Once a memorial has been installed, damage can occur for reasons that are separate from the stone itself or the quality of the work. StoneGuard Memorial Insurance provides additional protection against the events named in the policy and can be considered when purchasing a memorial from us. It is intended to help with the cost of an approved repair or replacement if an insured event occurs.

Memorial insurance is separate from the guarantee supplied with the memorial. Before cover is arranged, we will provide the current policy information so you can see the insured value, period of cover, events included, exclusions and any excess that applies. Please read those details carefully, as the policy schedule and full wording determine whether a claim is covered.

What the Cover Is For

The policy is designed to respond to specified damage rather than gradual ageing or routine upkeep. Depending on the current wording, insured events may include accidental impact, damage caused by falling trees or subsidence. We will provide the applicable documents rather than assume that every cause of damage is covered.

Insurance and Guarantee

A guarantee relates to the terms supplied with the memorial; insurance is intended for insured events that may happen after installation. They serve different purposes, so having a guarantee does not automatically provide the same protection as a memorial insurance policy.

Limits and Exclusions

Cover limits, exclusions and claim conditions matter just as much as the headline protection. The current documents will explain how the memorial is valued, whether an excess applies and which events are excluded. Ask us about anything that is unclear before deciding whether to take out cover.

If Damage Occurs

If the memorial is damaged, take photographs and contact us before arranging any repair. We can inspect the stone, help establish the work required and explain the next step under the policy. Another person should not alter the memorial until the insurer’s requirements have been checked.

Memorial QR Codes

A memorial QR code creates a discreet link between the stone and an online tribute. When a visitor scans it with a smartphone camera, they can open a page with more room for memories than an inscription can provide. Depending on the service chosen, that page may include:

  • A longer account of the person’s life
  • Other family-approved material to view online
  • Photographs selected by the family
  • Messages, memories or significant dates

The code may be planned with a new memorial or considered for an existing stone, provided there is a suitable position and the burial ground permits it. We can help you think about its size and placement. Before ordering, it is also worth checking who manages the page, whether it can be updated and how long the online service is provided.

How the Code Works

Most smartphones can open a QR code through the camera. The visitor points the camera at the code and follows the link that appears, taking them from the physical memorial to its associated page. A mobile signal or internet connection will be needed to view it.

Choosing What to Share

The online tribute may allow room for a longer life story, photographs and messages, depending on the service used. Think about what feels appropriate for public viewing, and seek agreement before adding personal information or photographs involving other family members.

Position on the Memorial

A code should be easy to scan but positioned with the overall memorial design in mind. Its location will depend on the available surface, the lettering and any carved details. For an existing stone, its condition and the burial ground’s rules also need to be considered.

The Online Service

The plaque or code is only one part of a digital memorial; the link and hosted page matter just as much. Before choosing a service, check who controls the content, whether changes can be made later and what happens to the page if the provider or subscription changes.