Memorial Enquiries

COMMISSIONING A MEMORIAL

please complete as much as you can

Commission type
sculptural piece/memorial headstone/cremation plaque:

Site details
e.g. is this a cemetery/church/garden/public space - please be as specific as possible:

How can I help?
Please tell me a little about your situation and the background behind this commission, for example how you have ended up here, how you found my website and what it is about my work that inspires you to conquer yet another internet form. Think of this as a letter to me, as this is how it will be read. I'm excited to hear your ideas:

DESIGN BRIEF

The front of the stone
I would generally leave out phrases like 'in loving memory of' as this seems superfluous and to my mind goes without saying. Words created by you often seem more powerful and meaningful. Also, unless you feel there is a strong reason to have the name and dates in full, it can save money and help with a sense of the stone being less cluttered to keep it simple, it is not a requirement to have the whole name and just the years is normally enough. It is your choice of course.

Full text to include on the front of the stone
including the name of the deceased as you want it to appear on the stone and dates (normally just the years). I'd advise you to avoid a long list of relatives, a few more meaningful personal words is generally more effective, and perhaps a hobby or career reference. Wording as follows:

Is there a need to leave space for any additional names in the future?
if yes please give details, this will affect the overall layout and needs to be allowed for in the design:

Carved imagery
I often try to include symbolic bespoke elements in my memorial work to reflect the individual, such as a favourite tool, bird, flower or instrument, or perhaps a more abstract sculptural artistic element inspired by a memory, journey, or favourite sculpture. Feel free to suggest things here, things that will feed into my creative process - you are not bound to it. Sometimes a simple carving seems to say so much more than lots of words. Ideas for imagery:

The back of the stone
I normally use both sides of the stone, often the front primarily is the place to simply record the details of the deceased and the back can serve as a place to have something more personal, poetic, or thought-provoking, a favourite phrase/poem/lyric perhaps. This may not be possible in some situations, for example in a cemetery where the stones are back to back.
more poetic wording or design ideas for the back of stone:

Stone Details

Select preferred material
please selectlimestonesandstoneslatemarblegranite

Select Edge Treatment
please selectcarved bead mouldingchamferedrounded edgesimple (slightly softened) square cut

Preferred shape
Perhaps refer to examples in my portfolio, or share pictures of something you like - I always welcome being stretched by a new challenge.
Describe the preferred shape or to share images here, find any image from my website or across the internet, right-click on it and select “copy image address” then paste the link in this field. E.g. https://teucerwilson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Contact-Teucer-Wilson.jpg. Alternatively email me separately after completing this form. Possible shape:

Sizes if known
Try to think about what height seems appropriate in the setting, look at what is around, maybe take a few pictures and email them to me, and it can be useful to have measurements of nearby stones. We definitely don't want to be limited by what has gone before, but also generally don't want something that is too prominent. Ideal height and width:

Are there regulations/restrictions?
Some cemeteries and churches have stricter rules than others. They will have a set of rules that restrict sizes and materials, and sometimes the pictorial content of the stone. If you can obtain these it would be helpful, but I can easily look into this and have worked all over the UK, so I already have a good database. Name of local Diocese or Cemetery office:

Is there a concrete plinth or beam at the head of the grave? Yes/No?
some cemeteries have a system where the memorial has to stand on a concrete plinth/beam that is pre-cast in situ - in this scenario I will need to design the stone to have a plinth that is bolted onto the concrete. This needs to be known from the beginning as it will affect the design.

Forms
The cemetery or church will need to approve any design, it would be useful if you can obtain a permit application form, normally they can be emailed to me (info@teucerwilson.co.uk). We will both need to fill this form in and sign it (you are the applicant and I am the mason) and there will be a fee to pay the church/cemetery. Normally a church will charge around £150, cemeteries can charge a lot more. I have a lot of forms in my database already and if you are not sure how to go about this I will look into it. Generally churchyards are governed by the local Diocese, so for example my local church in Norfolk would be under the watchful eye of Norwich Diocese, and the form would be found on the Church of England Norwich Diocese website. Cemeteries are often a law unto themselves, and have their own forms, sometimes run by the local council, other times it is the specific cemetery office.
Please confirm if you will be emailing me the permit application forms:

Please provide contact details for the vicar or cemetery office, including an email address:

Plot/section number in cemetery or general context in the churchyard
For example is this in a new lawn cemetery where everything is sat on a plinth, or is this tucked away under a tree in the corner of an old churchyard. You could also describe the grave and the height of nearby stones, and also what the access is like, can one drive right up to the grave, are there steps to climb. Ideally I'd like to see photos of the grave to help me design something suitable. Where exactly is the grave? Tell me more:

Do you have a maximum budget?
As a rough guide, simple memorials are £3500-5000, most memorials are between £5-7000, more detailed memorials e.g. tree & angel stones can be a lot more. Once we have received your enquiry, we can then give you a rough idea of the cost and if you would then like to proceed we will ask for an initial design fee of £300 and once we receive this Teucer will make some initial designs and a full estimate. You can read more about the commissioning process in the HOW IT WORKS section of the website. Preferred budget range:

Any other requirements (kerbs, plinths, vases for example).
I normally like to keep things simple as adding vases and plinths and kerbs and other extras often seem to clutter the grave, and cost you a lot more money. I will obviously include anything you feel is needed. In some places all the graves have curbing, and it would be odd not to conform, but generally I prefer a more naturalistic approach, which has less environmental impact.

Confirmation
I have checked over my contact details and I am ready to submit.