Arranging a Headstone in Liverpool

The main factors when considering a memorial are material, size, shape and inscription. Monumental masons are able to talk you through the advantages and disadvantages of natural materials, the size and suitability of gravestones depending whether they are to go on a cremation grave or burial grave. Each burial ground whether it be owned by a local authority or the Diocese have their own set of rules which masons will explain to you.

Liverpool City Council operates six cemeteries – Allerton, Anfield, Everton, Kirkdale, Toxteth and West Derby.  They only allow memorial masons, one of which is Sarsfield Memorials, who have signed up to their Rules and Regulations and have the relevant insurance in place to erect headstones in their cemeteries. At Sarsfield Memorials we are also members of BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) this is your guarantee that you are working with an experienced and knowledgeable mason.

Once you have chosen the memorial and inscription, the Mason will require a form to be completed by the owner of the grave or deed owner. This form is then submitted by the mason to the local authority or Diocese for approval and they authorities check that the completed paperwork match their records. They then approve the cemetery form and a permit is given to the mason, allowing them to carry out the work.

To ensure that cemeteries remain safe for the future, all new and re-fixed gravestones now have to be anchored into the ground to prevent them from being pushed or falling over, all headstones are secured with a ground fixing anchor to grade A302 as approved by NAMM (National Association of Memorial Masons).

The maximum size dimensions for gravestones on a non permanent foundation in Liverpool City Council’s cemeteries is 48 inches high by 42 wide by 18 depth. You can go larger than these sizes, meaning the headstone is then classed as a monument and will require a permanent foundation and an additional fee will be charged of £295.00*

Cremated remains can also be interred in existing burial plots in all cemeteries, with the headstones then updated accordingly. Alternatively you can buy a cremated remains grave and bury between four to eight cremated remains and mark the grave with a headstone maximum size allowed 42 inches high by 30 wide by 12” deep. Liverpool City Council do allow kerbsets and they charge a cemetery fee of £90.00*

Churchyard fee’s and sizes of memorials allowed do vary so always be guided by an experienced mason.

Sarsfield Memorials is Liverpool’s longest established family run monumental masons in Liverpool and can accommodate all requests for headstones of any size from a small tablet to a large monument.

* Prices quoted are for fees in the Liverpool local authority area from April 2015 – March 2016, all fees are increased annually in April.