Personalising Your Memorial: Stone Detailing and Inscriptions
Every memorial is a deeply personal tribute, and the details you choose help to tell the unique story of a life remembered. From carefully chosen inscriptions and elegant lettering styles to handcrafted carvings, portraits, and symbolic imagery, J.Gumbrill offers a wide range of customisation options. Whether you have something specific in mind or need guidance along the way, we’re here to help you create a lasting and meaningful monument that reflects your loved one with care and craftsmanship.
Inscriptions
The inscription is the engraved words and lettering that appear on a memorial, serving as a lasting tribute to a loved one. These inscriptions often include essential details about the person being remembered, and can also convey messages of love, faith, or reflection. Carefully chosen and beautifully carved, the inscription gives each monument its voice—honouring a life lived and providing comfort to those who visit in remembrance.
What wording could we include?
The permitted wording may depend on the memorial’s location, please see our Churchyard and Cemetery pages for more advice. However, outside of these regulations, you could include the following
- Full name of the deceased person
- Dates or years of birth and death
- A personal epitaph or meaningful phrase (e.g. “Forever in our hearts”)
- Relationship titles (e.g. Beloved Mother, Father, Daughter)
- Quotes or verses from religious texts, poetry, or literature
- Symbols of faith or meaning (e.g. cross, dove, heart)
- Occupation, achievements, or military service
- A short message from the family
- You can also leave space for future inscription(s) if someone else is to be remembered on the same memorial later
We understand that choosing the right words can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to support and guide you throughout the process, ensuring the inscription reflects your loved one with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Lettering Methods for Memorial Inscriptions
The method used to apply lettering to a memorial plays a key role in both the aesthetic and durability of the inscription. Different techniques offer different finishes, levels of detail, and suitability depending on the stone type and design preferences. At our workshop, we offer a range of expert lettering methods to ensure the inscription complements the monument beautifully and stands the test of time.
Common Lettering Methods
Sandblasted Lettering
This is one of the most popular methods, where the inscription is etched into the stone using high-pressure sand. It produces clean, sharp lines and can be finished with paint, gold leaf, or left natural. It’s especially effective on granite and some softer stones.
Hand-Carved Lettering
A traditional and highly skilled technique, hand-carving involves chiselling each letter individually by hand. This method offers a timeless, artisanal appearance and is ideal for classic or bespoke designs. It’s often used on heritage-style memorials or when a deeply personal touch is desired. While it is not suitable for granite memorials due to their extreme hardness, it looks particularly attractive on limestones, sandstones and slate. Letters are carved into a ‘v’ shape, which gives depth and shadow.
Sandblasted and flush-filled Lettering
The inscription is sandblasted and then filled with a specialist filler, usually dark in colour. This gives the inscription contrast from the surrounding stone while the letters do not show the shadows you would associate with lettering carved into the stone. This method is only suitable for memorials in marble, but the dark letters provide a strong contrast against its white colouring and offer a traditional appearance.
Raised lead Lettering
A traditional technique where lead is attached to the stone, individually chiselled into the shape of each letter, and then painted. This technique is only suitable for granites and gives a finish where the inscription stands proud from the stone.
Each method is carefully chosen to suit the type of stone, the inscription’s length, and your desired visual style. Our experienced team will guide you through the options to find the best fit for your memorial.
Lettering Finishes
Once the inscription has been applied to the stone, the finish you choose can dramatically enhance its appearance, readability, and overall style. The right finish helps the lettering stand out clearly against the stone and complements the tone and texture of the material. We offer a range of high-quality lettering finishes to suit both traditional and contemporary memorial designs. Please note, many churchyards do not allow finishes in all colours, please see our page on Churchyard Memorials for further guidance.
Gold Leaf
A classic and timeless choice, gold leaf is applied by hand and adds a rich, elegant look to the inscription. It’s especially striking against darker stones like black granite, offering high contrast and a refined finish. J.Gumbrill chooses to use only 23 and a half carat gold leaf, the purest available, for the best possible finish.
Painted (White, Black, Enamel, etc.)
Painted lettering is a versatile option available in a variety of colours. White and black are commonly used for clarity and contrast, while coloured enamels can be chosen to match design themes or personal preferences. A wide range of colours is available upon request, including silver for those who would like a metallic finish but do not wish to choose gold leaf. This finish is ideal for a wide range of stone types and styles.
Natural (Unpainted)
For a more understated and organic look, natural lettering is left unpainted after carving. This finish relies on the depth and shadow of the inscription for visibility and is often chosen for its subtle, timeless appeal—especially on lighter stones or slate, where the natural contrast between the dark outer and pale inner provides a striking appearance. Granite memorials cannot be left unpainted as the natural grain prevents inscriptions being visible.
Each finish is expertly applied to ensure long-lasting results and visual harmony with the chosen stone. If you’re unsure which option is best, we’re happy to advise based on the material, location, and overall design of your memorial.
Decorative Detailing
Decorative carvings and symbolic imagery add a meaningful, personal touch to any memorial. These elements go beyond words, allowing families to reflect their loved one’s beliefs, passions, or character through thoughtful, handcrafted designs. Whether you choose a classic motif or something entirely bespoke, each carving is completed with care and precision by our skilled letter cutters.
Standard Motifs
We offer a wide selection of traditional carvings that can be added to almost any memorial:
- Religious Symbols – Crosses, angels, the Star of David, praying hands, or other icons of faith can provide spiritual comfort and reflect the beliefs of the individual.
- Nature-Inspired Designs – Roses, ivy, doves, trees, or floral garlands are timeless symbols of peace, love, and remembrance.
- Classic Decorative Elements – Scrolls, hearts, books (to symbolise the Bible or life stories), and Celtic knots are often chosen to honour heritage or values.
Custom Carvings
For a truly personalised memorial, we can create bespoke carvings that represent your loved one’s life, hobbies, or personality.
This includes:
- Animals – Pets, birds, or wildlife meaningful to the family.
- Hobbies and Interests – Musical notes, instruments, sports equipment, vehicles, tools, or other symbols of personal passions.
- Heraldry– family crests, or symbols related to a professions, federations or with military significance.
If you have a specific idea in mind, we’ll work closely with you to bring your vision to life in a respectful and artistically detailed way. If you can provide an image of your chosen design, our letter cutters, who have years of artistic experience, can create a replica for you with skill and care.
Material Compatibility
Some stones are better suited for detailed carving than others.
For example:
- Marble and Granite – Extremely durable and suitable for deep, defined carvings.
- Light Nabresina, Portland and York – Softer, ideal for fine, intricate details.
Slate – Can support lighter, shallower carvings with elegant results.
Our team can advise on the best combinations of stone and design to ensure your chosen carving looks beautiful and lasts for generations.
Make It Personal with a Photo Tribute
Our Memorial Photo Plaques are created using high quality ceramic transfers which are produced from a favourite photograph of your loved on a quality European porcelain blank.
Examples of our work on detailing...
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Detailing
What lettering is the most durable?
This depends on the stone you have chosen and its location, as the elements do have a bearing on how long an inscription will last. Hand-carved letters are deeper then sandblasted. Paint and gold leaf erode over time.
How much will a carving or ornamentation cost?
This depends on your requirements, which we will discuss with our skilled letter cutting team, they will then advise us of the likely time it will take to enable us to give a price as part of your no obligation quotation.
Why can’t I have a specific colour or style of lettering inscription?
Each burial place has its own regulations, and some of these cover lettering types and colours. We will ensure you are aware of these when planning your memorial and suggest alternatives where these are possible so you can achieve the same effect while complying the prevailing rules.
How much does lettering cost?
Each method has its own price, reflecting the different time and materials taken to produce. We charge per character and our quotation will outline exactly how much your chosen inscription will cost to carve.