Monumental Masons

Our dedicated Monumental Masons is James Long (Masons) Ltd, a firm which has been in existence for over 200 years. In fact, mention is made of a stonemason’s yard in the Deeds of the property going back to the seventeen hundreds. They pride themselves on being the oldest established producers of both traditional and modern memorials in the West of England.

James Long have ‘moved with the times’ as far as methods of production are concerned. They now use modern machinery to carry out many of the time consuming operations, which means that they can manufacture memorials in stone, marble and granite at realistic prices. Hand carving, hand lettering and traditional craftsmanship are still an extensive part of their work. They extend a warm welcome to anyone who wishes to visit their works to see ‘how things are done’.

Each memorial, from a simple tablet to the most elaborate headstone and kerb enclosure receives individual and caring attention. Every memorial is special, and should be treated as such.

Memorials may take many forms and here are some details that should be considered when making your choice.

Each churchyard or cemetery has its own individual regulations regarding the size, materials and inscriptions of memorials, which must be adhered to. A memorial would need to withstand all kinds of weather conditions for many years, be of strong and durable material, take a permanent carved inscription and possibly additional ones in the future. It should harmonise with the environment of the churchyard or cemetery. Granite is the most durable of material from which a memorial can be made because of its ageless qualities. It can be polished, smooth or honed. White marble does weather after many years but can be easily cleaned. Natural stone is more porous and therefore weathers more quickly.

Churchyard and cemetery authorities each have their own regulations to consider when choosing a memorial. Certain stone materials are more appropriate in some places than others. There are also limitations to certain designs of memorial. James Long are always available to advise you about local authority requirements and deal with the necessary procedures to obtain approval from the relevant church or cemetery councils.