Author Topic: Putting a Gravestone Back Up  (Read 18385 times)

Offline Ayashi

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,789
  • William Wood, who was your mother??
    • View Profile
Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« on: Sunday 18 August 13 17:46 BST (UK) »
This is purely hypothetical, because I'm skint, but I was wondering...

My 2x gt grandparents have a fairly substantial gravestone that has fallen over or been put flat. The stone appears to be in good condition and is made of marble. Does anyone know what sort of ballpark  figure one might expect to inquiries about how much it would cost to put the gravestone back upright? I'm betting it is an arm and a leg, but I'd be interested to know.

Offline dawnsh

  • Global Moderator
  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • ********
  • Posts: 15,531
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 18 August 13 21:08 BST (UK) »
Hi

A few years back there was a mega thread which included raising a headstone, figures quoted here

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=271385.msg1701586#msg1701586

Dawn
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Sherry-Paddington & Marylebone,
Longhurst-Ealing & Capel, Abinger, Ewhurst & Ockley,
Chandler-Chelsea

Offline Ayashi

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,789
  • William Wood, who was your mother??
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 18 August 13 22:31 BST (UK) »
Thanks  ;D Incredible amount of money, isn't it?  :o

So sad though... the gravestone is really lovely marble... just on its back and covered in mud... Every time I see a photo I want to rush across the country and give it a scrub  ::)

Offline cemetery friends

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 18 August 13 23:26 BST (UK) »
The grave has Burial Rights for a specified number of years granted by the cemetery owner [or municipal council if the cemetery operated as such]. If the Rights have expired and were not renewed and you now wish to replace the stonework, you may have to enter into a new BR lease with the council. This varies from council to council but typically a 25 year lease. If the council agree to you or your family taking on a new lease, the council for safety reasons will insist on a fully insured and competent stone mason completing the work and that any proposed inscription is first approved by the cemetery manager.  During the period of the new lease say 25 years the council will require the grave to be kept in a safe state and may from time to time be subject to safety tests. The council usually lists some conditions eg no wind chimes or plastic wind mills or 12 foot high shrubs and we read from time to time stories of distressed parents who believe that such conditions should be waived and enter into long disputes with the council. Whilst I am not suggesting that you would consider such actions it is as well that you understand any conditions placed on you before deciding to go for a replacement.
Avery [Wembury]
Skilton [Hooe, Turnchapel, Plymstock and Coxside Plymouth]
Williams [Plymstock/Oreston]
Maritime subjects inc Titanic, HMS Hardy, HMS Thetis [submarine]
UK cemetery conservation
Cholera
Victorian social history


Offline Ayashi

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,789
  • William Wood, who was your mother??
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 18 August 13 23:49 BST (UK) »
Thank you. I don't want it replaced, just want it to go from horizontal to vertical like was originally intended. The last burial in the grave was 1974 if I recall correctly, I have no idea who has or had the grave rights (the two "children" having died unmarried and childless); there is one surviving (but very elderly) granddaughter of my 2xgts still around, as far as I know the only of her generation. She will no doubt have passed on by the time I'm in a position to start grave restoring. If no one has a claim to the grave at that point, I might well take on that, although if anything happens to the grave I'd end up being liable, wouldn't I?

Funny you should mention 12ft high shrubs... my aunt had the bright idea of planting one on my grandparents grave... that was a nightmare to dig up!  ::)

Offline cemetery friends

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #5 on: Monday 19 August 13 11:18 BST (UK) »
Even to repair a grave or to put the headstone back up, the cemetery owner [if a local authority] will insist that such work is undertaken by an approved monumental mason. He normally has to submit an application to work in the cemetery and provide evidence that the work is with the approval of the BR Holder.
 Cemeteries not owned by the council are normally privately owned [eg Kensal Green/ Brookwood], or part of the Royal Parks [only Brompton] or owned by a Trust [eg Arnos Vale at Bristol or Ford Park at Plymouth]. The Trusts take the most pragmatic approaches on repairs, the private companies make their own rules. However the councils [and it does vary from council to council] take the view that a Burial Rights Owner or descendant will if the grave is altered or repaired sue the council at some future occasion for trespass and criminal damage and therefore impose a block on any suggestion of a repair. Southampton council for example take that line very strongly. If you meet such resistance the only way forward is to apply to became a Burial Rights Owner ie you take on a new lease [even then a council could impose a condition that you may not alter any existing stonework].
You are correct to assume that you are responsible for the subsequent maintenance [including repairs from vandalism] to ensure the grave remains in a safe condition meeting H and S requirements.
Avery [Wembury]
Skilton [Hooe, Turnchapel, Plymstock and Coxside Plymouth]
Williams [Plymstock/Oreston]
Maritime subjects inc Titanic, HMS Hardy, HMS Thetis [submarine]
UK cemetery conservation
Cholera
Victorian social history

Offline KimKey

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 07 April 21 00:03 BST (UK) »
'So sad though... the gravestone is really lovely marble... just on its back and covered in mud... Every time I see a photo I want to rush across the country and give it a scrub' - So lovely to know I'm not the only one who thinks things like this! lol. Always hated seeing headstones toppled, our city Cathedral deliberately flattened 'their' 17th/18thC ones, inc my relative's, & used them as paving-! I really hate that >:( Others from a handsome Gothic Church demolished 1950s, got smashed up & sold to builders to use in walls-! Corporate vandals & thieves.
I've always wanted to right displaced 'stones, but the weight, and the cost. I found a Graveyard recently, neglected by Church & local Council for 60yrs; some wonderful Victorian gravestones & epitaphs; the skill of their stonemasons is incredible - but many fallen over, some vandalised, up-rooted by weed trees, stained by lichen - day-glo green in the sunlight! which is fine, but not the obliterating and damaging Ivy; I'll remember secateurs next time - I was actually day-dreaming about winning the lottery and returning it to as it used to look, & fitting CCTV, justifying that the money spent'd create jobs for living people ;)
Often wonder if our ancestors could have seen the future state of the Cemetery & their precious memorials, would they have still have spent money they could ill afford on those beautiful 'stones? - Or did it bring the comfort they needed at the time, so even if it fell to disrepair, it was worth it for them.. Hopefully they're somewhere far better than this mortal coil and beyond caring.
https://www.sheffield.anglican.org/UserFiles/File/caring_historic_graveyard_cemetery_mon.pdf

Offline hettyhen

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 270
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 07 April 21 08:46 BST (UK) »
Hello Ayashi,
I don't know if this will be any help to you, but in 2014 I had a headstone repaired in Cambusnethan Cemetery in Scotland. I live in New Zealand and, as you can see, had a lot of help and advice as to how to go about it. The before picture is taken after the stones were dug out, they were standing,  but both buried as deep as Dear Mother and New Zealand.
Can't be too sure of the cost but think it was in the region of about £2,000, but prices are sure to have risen since then.   Here is the link to the thread.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=684538.9
Best of luck with the restoration.
Cheers
HeatherR
Lanarkshire=Robertson-Ross-Russell-Neilson.
Staffordshire= Harrison-Jackson-Round
London=Poswillo-Hyams-Karby-Dossett-Baram-Detloff-Hyman
Gibralter=Poswillo
Dorset= Attwooll-Read-Northover
Australia=Karby-Meyer

Offline Ayashi

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,789
  • William Wood, who was your mother??
    • View Profile
Re: Putting a Gravestone Back Up
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 07 April 21 15:56 BST (UK) »
Hi Heather, thank you for your contribution.

This thread is from 2013 and honestly I'd forgotten all about it. Sadly I still haven't even visited the grave, much less restored it.