Memorials for babies and children in Essex and Suffolk
We are very aware that choosing a memorial for a baby or child can be a painful process. Nothing can truly ease the pain of such a loss, but we do offer a sensitively chosen selection of options from which you can create an appropriate memorial to your precious child. All our branches in Essex and Suffolk have examples of headstones, materials and finishes, and our funeral arrangers will take great care to provide further information to help you choose.
Following a churchyard burial, you will be permitted to erect a headstone, but not a full kerbset, as these are no longer permitted in churchyards. Many churches have quite strict rules about the shapes and finishes permitted, while cemeteries allow more variety. Our team will explain your options, ensuring that your final choice is within the accepted guidelines for your chosen location.
Should you choose a cremation, you may wish to have an interment in a cemetery or churchyard, to provide a location to visit and reflect in future. We can provide a selection of smaller, exquisitely crafted headstones, designed for the interment of ashes.
If the burial is in a cemetery, depending on regulations, you will be able to choose between a headstone or a full kerbset. The headstone is exactly what the name implies, an upright stone, set on a base of the same material, installed at the head of the grave. The kerbset has an additional stone kerb, or border, outlining the grave space, as well as a headstone and base.
You will have plenty of time to reach the decisions you will want to make for your child’s lasting memorial. When making those important decisions, we make sure that you are in control. Our task is to make you aware of all your choices, to ease the way by liaising with the church or cemetery authorities, and to allow you to focus on making a lasting tribute to your little one.
The waiting period following a burial
After your child’s funeral, it will be necessary to allow six to twelve months for the ground to settle before you can install either a headstone or a kerbset. This is because there is a risk of the stone toppling if the ground is still settling. There may be a much shorter waiting period in the case of the interment of ashes. We will advise you of the best time to install the memorial. In the meantime, we will place a simple grave marker, engraved with your child’s name and dates.
Headstones come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. You will be able to choose the design, the stone, the finish, the font, the inscription and other details, all of which will combine to create a truly individual memorial. It is also possible to include illustrations, a photograph, or even a QR code with a link to a memorial website.
View our brochures online here
Please note that your chosen location may influence your available options, as local churches, in particular, have differing rules. Some shapes shown in our catalogue may be excluded by a local church or cemetery. Please talk to our team before making your selection.
