Memorial ideas in Nottingham

When a loved one dies and chooses to have their ashes scattered, their family and friends may want to designate a space in their memory to visit instead of a grave. 

A memorial, such as a dedicated tree or bench, can be a meaningful way to remember your loved one. It can give you a spot to visit and think about your loved one in an area that was significant to them, such as the town where they grew up or their favourite spot in the park. 

In Nottingham, there are a number of ways you can set up a memorial for your loved one, including their own tree or rose bush, or by inscribing their name into a Book of Remembrance.

Find your funeral director in Nottingham who will help you arrange a cremation or burial, and give you ideas for a meaningful memorial.

The rose beds are only found in the Garden of Rest at Wilford Hill, and a small, inscribed plaque is placed in front of every rose. While the roses are growing they form a beautiful, colourful display that you can see well into autumn. Roses can be dedicated to a loved one for up to five years and can be renewed for another five years.

Wall tablets can be found at the entrance to the West Chapel at Wilford Hill, and the bronze tablets are attached to the walls with the option to have a posy vase. The dedication of a wall plaque usually lasts for five years and can be renewed every year.

Single and double Columbarium Niches are also found only in the cloister area of the West Chapel at Wilford Hill. There is a resting place above ground for cremated remains and are sealed with a stone tablet that you can have inscribed. You can lease Columbarium Niches from the council for five years and can renew them annually. 

Vaults are also an alternative to the Columbarium Niches and can be found in the Garden of Rest and Woodland Walk. They are an underground chamber that can contain two containers of cremated remains. A secure capping stone with a polished black granite tablet with a gold leaf inscription covered the vault. You can dedicate these plots for thirty years.

Kerb Vases, meanwhile, are made from a material similar to York Stone and are provided in the Garden of Rest and Woodland Walk. The options for granite or bronze plaques are similar to the vaults, but they do not have underground chambers. These Kerb Vases can be dedicated for five years and renewed every five years.

The Book of Remembrance is found in the Northern and Southern Cemeteries, and is a fantastic way to honour the memory of your loved one for years to come. The book is hand-made and bound in the highest quality vellum and leather, and is emblazoned with the Coat of Arms for the city of Nottingham. The memorial inscriptions are also added by hand, by skilled craftsmen and women. 

You can choose a memorial entry of 2, 5, or 8 lines with the anniversary of your loved one’s death, or with another significant date also inscribed. With a five or eight-line entry, you can also add a badge, flower, or another emblem. Memorial cards are also available for family and friends who would like a copy of the inscription similar to the entry in the book. An entry in the Book of Remembrance is permanent so does need to be renewed.

Posy Vases are also available in the Book of Remembrance room and are small vases with wrought iron holders at both the Northern and Southern Cemeteries. Each vase comes with a small plaque that you can have inscribed with up to three lines. You can dedicate a posy vase for up to five years, and they can be renewed every five years. However, a posy vase is one of the most popular types of memorial offered by the Nottingham council, and there is a waiting list.

You can dedicate a granite cemetery bench at the Southern Cemetery, which is a permanent feature for all visitors of the cemetery to sit and reflect. The benches can only be placed in certain areas inside the cemetery, and the benches can be dedicated for 5 years and then renewed every five years. The council no longer erects new wooden benches.

You can plant a memorial tree in the grounds of Wilford Hill to honour your loved one, and there is a wide variety of trees for you to choose from. The availability of the trees varies and these can be dedicated for ten years.