Rustic and Hand-Carved Headstones

With so many rustic and hand-carved headstone designs, styles and variations available, not to mention the vast range of stone materials, colours and shades to choose from, it’s no surprise that many customers come to us for guidance and advice when it comes to selecting the perfect headstone to memorialise a loved one.

Many of our customers find that requesting to download our brochure is a great place to start as this provides several rustic and hand carved headstone styles, materials, and examples to help narrow down your memorial search. Many customers approach us with a specific headstone idea in mind. This could be an idea you have formed in your head or a picture of a rustic or other hand-carved headstone design that you have seen in a cemetery or somewhere online. This is perfectly fine, so rest assured our expert headstone design team and skilled memorial stonemasons can hand-craft just about any bespoke design or idea you can think of.

Browsing rustic and hand-carved headstones at your local cemetery and online, or simply booking an appointment to speak through your options in detail with one of our advisors and to view them in person will greatly help you come to a suitable decision when considering headstone options to help honour and remember the lives of those you love.

With a wide selection of upright headstone designs, styles, and materials to choose from, many customers turn to us for assistance and advice in finding the perfect memorial for their loved one.

When searching for a reliable memorial stonemason, there are several important factors to consider. It’s crucial to assess their experience in monumental stonemasonry, any accreditations they may have, their level of craftsmanship, product quality, and familiarity with the cemetery where the headstone will be placed. Equally essential is feeling comfortable working with the stonemasons to design and create the perfect memorial for your loved one.

It’s worth noting that most memorial stonemasons require a deposit upon placing an order. Therefore, it’s essential to have confidence in the stonemasons’ ability to complete the work and remain in business to avoid losing your deposit. Opting for an established memorial mason directly, rather than going through a middleman like a funeral director, can also help avoid additional costs.

Ultimately, selecting a reputable and well-established memorial stonemason will ensure peace of mind and guarantee that your loved one’s memorial is crafted to the highest standard.

We can certainly go through your options in great detail to help you reach a decision on which rustic or hand-carved headstone you should choose. We can highlight the benefits of different soft stones that are more suited to hand carving, show you a variety of rustic headstone styles and designs that meet your requirements, and discuss the range of detailing options that are available for each particular headstone.

The best material to use when crafting a hand carved headstone is a soft stone. Most hand carved headstones are crafted using limestone or sandstone as these stones are much softer and far easier to carve than harder stones such as granite. Which stone material you should choose will come down to the type of colour, tone, and texture that best suits your taste. The location the headstone is to be installed in should also be taken into consideration as softer stones are more prone to deteriorating faster in certain environments. That isn’t to say that certain stone materials should be immediately ruled out based on where it’ll be installed (such as underneath a tree where the memorial may be prone to falling leaves & debris during certain seasons), but that you may want to take into account the upkeep of the memorial – there are memorial aftercare services available you may want to consider to ensure the headstone is kept in the best condition possible throughout the year.  

Alternatively, we are able to offer a wide variety of rustic-inspired headstone designs that can be crafted from the more durable granite stone. 

At Thornhill Memorials, we offer all of the popular headstone materials that you’d expect from any memorial stonemason.

Hand-carved headstones that are crafted from a softer stone, such as limestone, sandstone or slate will only be available in the natural colour of those materials – as the headstones are crafted from naturally sourced stone materials, each headstone may differ slightly from the next with its unique tone, texture and patterns.

We do offer an endless range of headstones with a rustic design that can be crafted from granite, and we can create a bespoke rustic design for you if required. As granite is available in many different colours and shades, it is possible for your granite rustic-inspired headstone to be crafted in any available colour of your choice.

A coloured rustic headstone allows one to honour their lost loved one in a way they see most fitting. Perhaps in a favourite colour, or because they want something that isn’t as sombre as the typical black or grey headstones.

Cemeteries and churchyards have different rules and regulations with regards to what they allow within their graveyards, so it’s always worth checking what their stance is with headstones of different colours and materials to ensure your rustic headstone choice won’t be rejected by them.

In the vast majority of cases the answer is yes. Our memorial stonemasons are very experienced and highly skilled, so we are able to meet bespoke requirements and recreate any kerb set design for any grave dimensions. Simply provide us with an image and/or an idea of what you are looking for, and we will do our very best to help.

In the vast majority of cases the answer is yes. Our memorial stonemasons are very experienced and highly skilled, so we are able to meet bespoke requirements and recreate or hand-carve any headstone design. Simply provide us with an image and/or an idea of what you are looking for, and we will do our very best to help. Many people choose a rustic or hand-carved headstone as they want the memorial to be truly unique and different from others, so this is something we fully understand and would be more than happy to discuss with you. Alternatively, you may want us to replicate a rustic or hand-carved headstone design that you saw elsewhere and really liked and this is something we can also easily accommodate.

The design and creation of any headstone, be it hand carved or machine cut, and the engraving of its inscription is a highly skilled process. This means we can expect it to take some time before any rustic or hand-carved headstone is complete following the order – certainly several weeks, and perhaps months. The timeframe will also depend on the current demand and accessibility of the stone material you choose, so for a more accurate answer you will be best served asking for an up-to-date estimated lead time at the time of order.

Yes, you can certainly add something to any existing rustic or hand-carved headstone. This could be a special design or etching, or an additional inscription or change of font. Whatever it may be, we can discuss your requirements and confirm what headstone amendments can be carried out dependant on your particular memorial and the stone it has been crafted from.

The truth is, there really is no accurate average cost of a headstone, regardless of whether it is hand carved or specifically crafted into a rustic design. This is because each headstone is unique, and the cost will vary based on the material, size, headstone type and more rather than just labour involved. For an accurate quote, we would advise you contact a representative so that we can take the specific details you require beforehand.

One thing we can confirm upfront is our price promise – we are confident that our prices are the most competitive around and offer a discount should a customer find the same quality product elsewhere, so long as it’s supplied by a recognised and reputable memorial mason or funeral director.

Certainly, all of our rustic and hand carved headstones as well as any other type of memorial come with our 30-year guarantee.

Yes, we are BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) approved, and a registered and fully licensed memorial mason.

Prior to production, we can supply you with design proofs of the rustic or hand carved headstone. In the event that you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the design, we can modify the layout or style until it aligns with your specifications. We recognise the importance of crafting the perfect rustic or hand carved headstone for you and your loved one and are dedicated to collaborating with you closely throughout the entire process.

We have experience in shipping memorials overseas, but it’s important to note that there are additional expenses involved. These may include specialised packaging, insurance, and taxes or fees.