All burial authorities have regulations regarding the design of memorial, the size, and the type of material in which it is made.

Cemetery
Cemeteries, which are under the authority of a Council, will require that Exclusive Rights of Burial are purchased before permission can be granted to place a memorial. The permission of the owner of the Exclusive Rights must be obtained in order to place the memorial if they are not the person giving the instructions. A form to obtain permission to place a memorial must be completed and returned to the burial authority, together with the fee required by the authority, before work can begin to provide the memorial. We will take care of this on your behalf. The regulations and the fee will vary between different authorities.

We will advise you regarding the type of memorial permitted and the fee required before you look at materials and design. This is to ensure that the design you choose will be accepted and you will not suffer disappointment in having your choice refused. We will always write to the authority to obtain their opinion should you have a specific request for a design that is not specifically covered in their regulations.

Churchyard
You cannot own Exclusive Rights of Burial in a Churchyard. The Church of England regulations are quite specific in the type of material, design and size allowed. Broadly, the Church of England will not allow polished granites, Heart shaped memorials, open books, bird baths, statues or photoceramics.

Natural stones such as Portland, Hopton Wood, Hornton, Nabresina, Purbeck, York stone, Serena, and light grey honed finish granite are generally preferred. They preserve the appearance and nature of a churchyard. However, each diocese will have their own regulations within the general regulations and each individual Churchyard will have yet again specific rules. We can advise you on the rules which apply to the particular Churchyard in which the memorial is to be placed. Ornamentation, carvings and the words of the inscription will also have to be approved by the authority whether is is a cemetery or churchyard.

Do not be alarmed! The ornamentation or carving is to ensure that it complies with the regulations. The words of the inscription are required to ensure that they do not give offence to anyone else – refusal is very rare. We will advise you regarding the design acceptable to the authority concerned and obtain the necessary permission for you.