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      Memorials
As well as being one of London’s greatest treasures, Highgate Cemetery is a haven of beauty and tranquillity, a place of peace and contemplation where a romantic confusion of plants, trees, memorials, and wildlife abound. The ubiquitous ivy, wild flowers and native grasses provide a beautiful setting and a sanctuary for nature, where butterflies, bird life, insects and small mammals flourish in the heart of London. This has been achieved over many years through sensitive restoration, managed planting of native trees and a meticulous love and care about the entire environment. Most importantly, Highgate remains a working cemetery today. As new memorials are commissioned, guidance is provided to help ensure that sensitivity to the cemetery environment continues.
We are fortunate to have the services of a highly talented letter cutter, sculptor and stone mason, Mr Neil Luxton (http://neilluxton.co.uk/index.html), whose many commissions are based on personal reputation and recommendation. He has worked at Highgate Cemetery for over 12 years, producing in excess of 250 memorials. Neil is a consummate professional, with over 30 years experience in this creative and specialist field. He followed his father, who spent over 25 years in the same profession. Neil works closely with grave owners to ensure the creation of original and personal memorials. To commission a unique and individually-crafted memorial is not as expensive as people might think. To understand how memorials can be beautiful, take a tour of the Cemetery and see how the design and inscriptions still move you today. In modern cemeteries the picture is usually very different. Memorials that are personal, unique and in harmony with their environment are works of art. This can apply to the most modest memorial. For many people, commissioning a memorial may be the only opportunity they have for creating a work of art with the living to commemorate the dead. To arrange an appointment to discuss your memorial, please telephone Mrs Hilary Deeble-Rogers on 020 8340 1834 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Hilary is responsible for all the administrative activity associated with memorials at Highgate and in this regard is the primary contact for all grave owners.
The selection of stone available is wide-ranging but generally falls into four main categories - slate, limestone, sandstone and granite. Each have particular properties which make them suitable for memorials and these can be discussed when you visit. The Memorial Design Process Unlike most other activities today, the entire memorial process does not need to be rushed. Highgate Cemetery does not normally install memorials until 12 months after the burial. The following summarises the key stages of commissioning and producing a memorial:
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