Tablet Memorials
Tablet memorials offer a simple yet dignified way to commemorate a loved one’s life. Often chosen for the interment of ashes, these compact and elegant memorials are particularly suited for churchyards, where space or regulations may limit the size and style of larger monuments.
About Tablet Memorials
Crafted from high-quality natural stone, our tablet memorials are available in a range of finishes and designs to reflect the individuality of the person being remembered. Placed flush with the ground and meticulously carved to the highest standards, tablet memorials combine durability with timeless beauty.
We work closely with families, churches, and local authorities to ensure that all designs meet the specific guidelines of churchyards or burial grounds, while still allowing for personal touches such as inscriptions, symbols, or motifs.
Churchyard Regulations Regarding Tablet Memorials
Most churchyard cremation tablets measure 18” wide by 12” from top to bottom and will be 2” thick (unless Welsh slate). We can provide prices for those occasions when a different size is required. Churchyard regulations allow the use of a honed, but not polished, upper surface.
The provision of a memorial is subject to the consent of the Church Authorities. We will gladly seek this consent and make no charge for doing so. A Churchyard fee is payable for the provision of a memorial. We will include this fee in the total price for your tablet memorial; we will provide a no-obligation quote and pay the church fee upon your acceptance.
Some Churches have their own bylaws in addition to the Diocesan regulations. Please contact us for advice on what is permissible in your local churchyard.
Types of Tablet Memorials for Churchyards
J.Gumbrill keeps the four most popular types of tablet in stock to provide efficient completion of the memorial. These are:
Welsh Slate
We recommend hand-carved letters painted with a grey wash. The contrast between the dark exterior and paler interior gives slate lettering an elegant finish.
Light Nabresina
We recommend lettering is painted for contrast in a blue-grey or brown finish. Nabresina is a limestone and so weathers less well than other options.
Karin Granite
Due to hard surface, lettering needs to be sandblasted but this can be with a hand-cut stencil (as shown) to replicate a hand carved finish, or a computer-cut can be used instead.
Lunar Granite
Due to hard surface, lettering needs to be sandblasted. A computer-cut stencil (as shown) gives a consistent, uniform appearance, or a hand-cut stencil can be chosen instead.
Are you looking to order a Tablet Memorial?
If you’re considering a tablet memorial for a loved one, please get in touch to discuss design options, stone choices, and any requirements your chosen resting place may have.
