Memorials

It is important for grave owners to understand what and when a memorial can be placed on a grave. We also offer a range of memorials for those choosing cremation.

Why can't I have what I want on the grave?

It is important you select the cemetery and grave which will provide you with the type of memorial you require as regulations differ for different graves. Please visit the quick link above 'Buying a grave' for more details.

When will I be able to put a memorial on the grave?

Some areas of our cemeteries have continuous concrete foundations which were laid so that memorials could be erected on lawn graves almost immediately. We no longer provide these in new cemetery sections as these are expensive to install and not good for the environment. Where individual foundations are provided for lawn memorials ideally these will be situated on the un-dug ground at the head end of the grave. In these circumstances it is still possible to erect a memorial almost immediately. We recommend waiting for a period to give the ground time to settle and consolidate. During this period the cemetery staff will monitor any sinkage that becomes apparent and top up periodically with topsoil until settlement ceases. 

Why is a permit needed?

The written authority of the grave owner of the grave must be given on a permit application form before a memorial is erected. Memorials need to conform to cemetery regulations with regards to size and fixings, and the memorial also needs to be checked for stability. The cemetery staff will check this. You may ask your memorial mason for a workmanship guarantee or details of insurance.

You can download the permit application below:

• Memorial permit application form

Who may install a memorial on a grave?

All memorials must be installed to meet the British Standards for memorial masonry (BS 8415). 

Leicester City Council will only permit memorial masons who are accredited by the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) or the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) to install memorials in our cemeteries. You should only use accredited memorial masons to guarantee the quality and safety of the memorial to the above standard, and we recommend that you check that the mason is registered with NAMM or BRAMM accordingly. 

A list of local accredited memorial masons can be found below. Please note, Leicester City Council does not recommend or guarantee the work of any particular memorial mason and the list is only intended for contact information purposes.

Who is responsible for maintaining the memorial on a grave?

The grave owner has a responsibility to maintain a memorial in a safe condition. If the grave owner fails to do this the cemetery staff may take action to make the memorial safe.

Inspection and maintenance

Cemetery staff carry out routine inspections of memorials in the cemetery and when one is identified as being unstable it might be cordoned off, laid flat or have a temporary support installed. We will write to the grave owner and it will be their responsibility to arrange repairs. If the memorial is under guarantee the memorial mason will be responsible for carrying out the repair at no extra cost. If the grave owner doesn't respond to the notice, the memorial may be laid flat and when the lease expires you will not be allowed to renew it until repairs are made. After further notification the memorial may be lawfully removed from the cemetery. You should insist that the memorial is erected in accordance with the NAMM Recommended Code of Practice and seek a guarantee from your memorial mason.

Memorial sizes

Contact us

Write to us: Bereavement Services, Leicester City Council, Gilroes Crematorium, Groby Road, LE3 9QG
Ring us on: 0116 373 7327
Send us a message