Restoring Memorials with Care and Craftsmanship
Over time, even the finest memorials can be affected by weathering, damage, or the need for additional inscriptions. At J.Gumbrill, we offer a full range of professional renovation and restoration services to bring existing monuments back to their original beauty and dignity. Whether it’s cleaning aged stone, repairing damage, or adding new details, our skilled team treats every memorial with the utmost respect and care.
Additional Inscriptions
As families grow and time passes, it is often necessary to add names, dates, or new wording to an existing memorial. Whether commemorating a recently lost loved one or updating a family grave, our additional inscription service ensures that new text is seamlessly integrated with the original design—preserving both the appearance and sentiment of the monument.
Adding Names, Dates, or New Epitaphs
We can carefully add new details such as additional names, dates and other wording to reflect a change in family circumstances or remember someone who has passed more recently. This is often required for stones designed for two inscriptions (such as books), or where space has been deliberately left for future names at the time it is first engraved.
Matching the Original Font, Size, and Finish
One of the most important aspects of a successful additional inscription is continuity. Our skilled engravers take special care to replicate the existing font style, letter size, spacing, and finish—whether it’s painted, gilded, flush-filled, or left natural. Our expert team will assess the original inscription style to help with ensuring a seamless match- whether the stone was originally hand carved or sandblasted.
We often suggest that the time of placing an additional inscription is an ideal opportunity for other restoration work, such as restoring or enhancing existing lettering on the original section of the memorial. This gives the entire memorial a consistent appearance.
Before and After: Additional Inscriptions
Click ‘AFTER’ to unveil the results
Memorial Cleaning and Restoration
Over time, natural weathering, pollution, environmental conditions and biological growth such as lichen, moss, and algae, can leave memorials in need of renovation. Stones can become discoloured or worn in appearance, inscriptions can fade and stone material can perish. All of this can lead to the memorial looking worn, or detailing and inscriptions becoming unclear. Our professional cleaning and restoration services are designed to safely and respectfully bring these headstones and monuments back to their original beauty without causing harm to the stone or its inscriptions.
Safe, Professional Cleaning Methods
We use specialist materials and appropriate cleaning techniques tailored to the specific type of stone- whether the memorial is slate, granite, marble, sandstone or limestone. We will firstly assess the material to ensure our proposed technique is appropriate to the task. We avoid the use of harsh chemicals or high-pressure systems which could cause damage. The surface of the stone is thoroughly cleaned while maintaining its integrity and preventing inadvertent damage.
Removal of Dirt, Biological Growth and Pollution Staining
Environmental factors like rain, damp, air pollution and nearby foliage can cause staining and encourage the growth of biological matter- and some stone types are more prone to attract growth of moss and algae. We carefully assess the stone’s appearance to calculate if these layers can be removed in isolation, or if doing so will lead to the need for other work. We pride ourselves on our transparent advice: if we think such removal may lead to other repairs we will discuss this openly with you and work together on developing the best course of action.
Restoration of Original Lettering and Detail
In addition to surface cleaning, we can enhance or re-cut faded lettering and decorative details where appropriate. This work is performed by skilled craftsmen who ensure the restoration remains true to the original design—maintaining the historical and emotional value of the memorial. From a simple repaint to freshen the letters, through to removing the stone to recut off-site, our restoration is bespoke to the memorial’s renovation needs.
Before and After: Memorial Cleaning and Restoration
Click ‘AFTER’ to unveil the results
Monument Repairs
Even the most durable memorials can suffer from damage over time due to weather, ground movement, or accidental impact. Cracks, leaning stones, or loose components not only affect the appearance of the monument but can also pose safety concerns. Our monument repair services are designed to address these issues with care, precision, and deep respect for the original craftsmanship.
Repair of Cracked, Leaning, or Broken Headstones
Cracks or breaks in a headstone can be distressing to see, but even serious-looking damage may be fixable. We will assess the condition of the stone and the nature of the damage and, if it can be fixed, use approved repair techniques to stabilise and restore the structure. Whether a monument is leaning due to ground settlement or has suffered a break, we can realign and reassemble the pieces to ensure it stands strong and secure once again.
Repointing or Resecuring Loose Components
Over time, joints between sections of a memorial, or between the stone itself and the base, can become loose or unstable. We offer expert repointing using suitable mortars and materials to match the original finish. Where necessary, we also reseat headstones or plaques, ensuring they remain safe and aligned. If possible, we will recommend the stone be dismantled and reconstructed using stainless steel dowel, which will give long-lasting structural integrity.
Replacement of Damaged Sections with Matching Stone
In some cases, parts of the memorial—such as plinths, vases, or decorative features—may be too damaged to repair. When this happens, our team can replace individual sections using carefully sourced stone to match the original as closely as possible. This ensures the restored monument looks consistent and retains its original character.
Assessing whether damage to a memorial can be repaired is a complex task, taking into account the stone type, nature and extent of the damage, and any risks that may come with carrying out the repair. Our professional team has years of experience as well as thorough training in restoration methods approved by our trade body, NAMM, ensuring renovations are carried out to the highest standard using the most suitable techniques. We offer a free assessment service with a no obligation quotation, and will be open about any risks or concerns we have about the work we feel needs to be undertaken. Sadly, though, not every damaged memorial can be repaired. In this case, we will be happy to provide costs for a replacement. We promise we will never suggest a replacement stone in any case where we feel a repair is possible.
Before and After: Memorial Repairs
Click ‘AFTER’ to unveil the results
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Restoration
Can an old or weathered headstone be restored to look like new?
Yes, it can, depending on the level of wear and tear and the type of stone in question. We will carry out a thorough and free assessment of the stone to advise you what is possible. This page shows just some of the many hundreds of successful renovations we have completed- as you can see, it is possible for the most worn-looking stone to be restored to a strikingly new appearance. If we think the memorial is beyond repair, we will discuss this with you and explain our reasoning to ensure you feel reassured if you do then choose to replace it.
Will cleaning or restoring the stone damage the original inscription or material?
We do everything we can to avoid damage, and if we think this is a possibility, we will discuss it with you first, following our full assessment. Sometimes a consequence of cleaning a stone is a need to restore the lettering, too, but we will always advise this may be the case, provide the costs, and ensure we have your go-ahead before we proceed.
How do I know if my memorial needs repair or full restoration?
Let our expert team help you decide. We offer a free appraisal service where we will visit the memorial and fully assess its condition. We will then provide a no-obligation quotation, outlining the various options and their respective costs, together with any pitfalls we can see in any of the choices we offer. We will ensure we are transparent in the information we provide. We will never recommend a new stone where we think we can effect a successful restoration instead.
If your family memorial needs care or updating, we are here to help. Contact us today to arrange a free assessment and receive expert advice on the best way to restore your monument with the dignity it deserves.
