Cemetery memorials
Contents
- Overview
- Which stonemasons should be used
- Doing the work yourself
- Authorised memorials
- Maintaining the memorial
Overview
If you are planning to place a permanent memorial on a grave, there are a number of things that you need to know.
Important points
You need permission from the Council before installing any type of permanent memorial on a grave. A memorial installed on a grave without permission may be removed by us without giving notice beforehand.
We recommend that you wait at least one year after a burial before installing a memorial to allow for natural land settlement.
Your memorial and its continued maintenance is your responsibility. We strongly recommended that you insure it against theft or damage.
Memorials may have to be removed to allow burials and this will incur additional costs to those funerals. This is particularly the case with kerb surrounds, so it may be advisable to wait until all of the burials in the grave have occurred before installing them.
Memorials can be unstable and it is recommended that at all times you and your family members, particularly children, should avoid coming into contact with other memorials while in the cemetery.
Which stonemasons should be used
Only stonemasons who are registered with The National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) or The British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) are permitted to work in our cemeteries.
This means that they will work in strict accordance with:
- British Standard 8415 (2018) - the professional standard for stonemasonry
- The BRAMM Blue Book or the NAMM Code of Working Practice
- The Council's Cemetery Rules and Regulations
You can find a list of the stonemasons who registered with NAMM or BRAMM below:
View the list of local companies who are registered.
The stonemason will submit an application form to us detailing the memorial you wish to install.
Every application is subject to a fee. View a list of cremation and burial expenses.
The stonemason will pay the appropriate cemetery fee on your behalf and then recoup it from you. They can only proceed with the installation once they have received a permit from us.
Doing the work yourself
It is important that our cemeteries are safe places for people to visit and work in. That is why any stonemasons wishing to work there must be registered with NAMM or BRAMM.
However, families can also install their own memorials but are restricted to only:
- wooden crosses
- stone vases
- decorative stone surrounds
If you wish to place one of these memorials on a grave you need to submit an application form to the Council and pay the appropriate cemetery fee. View a list cremation and burial fees.
You can get an application form from Bereavement Services.
Once your application has been approved, we will send you a permit so you can proceed with the work.
We strongly recommend that you wait 12 months after a burial before installing a memorial. Following a burial, the grave can be subject to natural settlement for many months, meaning that the ground level can drop and need filling.
Authorised memorials
Some of the sections within our cemeteries are classed as "lawned" sections. The graves on these sections must remain open lawn apart from a 3 feet long strip at the head of each grave that can be used for memorials, mementoes and plants / flowers. It is not permitted to place memorials beyond the 3 feet long strip.
Lawned and unlawned sections
The lawned sections in our cemeteries are:
| Cemetery | Lawned sections |
|---|---|
| Harton Cemetery | Sections five, ten and eleven |
| Jarrow Cemetery | Sections fifteen and seventeen |
| Boldon Cemetery | Section F |
| Whitburn Cemetery | Section D |
| Hebburn Cemetery | None |
| Westoe Cemetery | None |
The rest of the sections within our cemeteries are "unlawned" sections. Almost the entire length and width of these graves can be used for memorials, mementoes and plants / flowers.
Here is a guide to what memorials are permitted on lawned and unlawned sections:
| Unlawned sections | Lawned sections |
|---|---|
Headstone / tablet / vase max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] no max height | Headstone / tablet / vase max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] max height 3ft |
Stone kerb surround (installed by a professional stonemason) max length 8ft [2439mm] max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] | Stone kerb surround (installed by a professional stonemason) max length 3ft [915mm] from the back of grave max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] |
Stone decorative surround (installed by the family) max length 8ft [2439mm] max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] | Decorative surround (installed by the family) max length 3ft [2439mm] from the back of grave max width 3ft 11" [1194mm] |
Wooden cross Max height 3ft [915mm] | Wooden cross Max height 3ft [915mm] |
Unpurchased graves are restricted to only a memorial stone (not in excess of 12" x 12") or a wooden cross.
Maintaining the memorial
Whilst the council is responsible for maintaining the cemetery in a safe condition, you have a responsibility to maintain your memorial in a safe condition. If you fail to do this the cemetery staff may take action to make the memorial safe.