The Avenue Stone Works, Newton Abbot
Williams & Triggs have been based in Newton Abbot for well over 100 years. We are a family run business making headstones and memorials, adding inscriptions and restoring stones across Devon, with a large showroom where you can take your time.
Over 100 years of experience as stonemasons
At The Avenue in Newton Abbot
Highly skilled letter cutters
Award winning designs
Wide choice of memorials for all budgets
Prices starting at £340+VAT
Buy with confidence and peace of mind
Fixed to BS8415, lifetime guarantee
We offer the complete service
As members of NAMM (National Association of Memorial Masons), we adhere strictly to their Code of Working Practice, reassurance that you can trust us to care for your needs at a difficult time.
Lettering cut by hand by one of our masons.
Everything we agree with you is set down in writing, so the wording, stone and size are exactly as you chose.
We send you scale drawings of the memorial with lettering designed by our highly skilled letter cutters before any work begins. We have won awards for lettering design.
Our showroom and works are at The Avenue in Newton Abbot, where you can see a large display of memorials.
We handle the permit for you and guide you through any regulations, including the Faculty process for churchyards.
Accredited by BRAMM. All memorials are fixed to BS8415 and come with a lifetime guarantee, on extra wide underground foundations that span the grave.
Prices starting at £340+VAT. A firm quotation can be given once your choice has been made.
Types of memorials
Your choice and getting it right is important. It is a lasting memorial, a monument, a tribute to a person's life, and we know you will want to take your time to think and choose carefully. A firm quotation can be given once your choice has been made, and your order will be confirmed along with a scale drawing of the proposed memorial.
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All churchyards are subject to regulations regarding materials to be used as well as the finish and size of the memorial. We are happy to guide you through the regulations governing churchyard memorials and the Faculty (appeals) process if a particular memorial falls outside them.
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Cemeteries have their own rules and regulations regarding the size of memorial allowed, and we would be happy to guide you through these, helping you select a memorial which would be most suitable. Cemeteries do not have the same restrictions on headstones as churchyards, so please discuss your individual needs with us.
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There are in many cases special areas for the burial of cremated remains. It might be that they just have a central memorial commemorating all those buried nearby; in other cases headstones or plaques may be erected on individual plots. We offer a large range of after cremation memorials, including tablets and vases.
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Memorials for children in churchyards and cemeteries are governed by rules which vary depending on the governing authority. We will guide you gently through this, and through the Faculty (appeal) process for a churchyard should the memorial you would like fall outside the guidelines.
Adding a loved one's name to an existing headstone. Please call us with the details of the memorial.
Cleaning, re-lettering and refixing to bring a memorial near to its former glory.
A wide selection of ornaments, and custom-made designs can also be produced to your own requirements.
Ceramic flowers for memorials are guaranteed for one year and can be fixed on a permanent or temporary basis in the recess made for the flower container.
Please call or visit us instore to talk through a memorial for a much loved pet.
Slate and stone house signs. Please call or visit us instore.
Beyond the churchyard
As well as memorials, we make slate and stone house signs, and we also provide other bespoke designs. Call or visit us instore to talk about what you have in mind.
01626 201157
Stone colours
We understand stone and can give you reliable, sensible advice as to whether the stone you are choosing is suitable for the memorial you would like, and for the place it is to be fixed. Weather, pollution and surrounding vegetation can all have an effect.
Please visit our showroom to see the stones for yourself.
Our memorial brochure
Our brochure shows a selection of the high quality, bespoke memorials we can provide, with sizes and stone for each. Phone and ask for Rob or Karen for your individual, personalised quotation.
Our work
A great deal of our work comes from recommendation, as we have specialised in memorial masonry for many years.
Restorations and additional inscriptions
Devon memorial restoration work requires us to use our many years of experience to refix memorials to the current British Standard in a sympathetic way that enables us to renovate stones to near their original condition. Professional cleaning and maintenance can bring a memorial near to its former glory, or take advantage of our yearly maintenance service.
Headstone guidelines
Devon churchyards fall under the regulations set out by the Diocese of Exeter. This covers all of the Church of England churchyards and specifies the guidelines for permitted headstones.
Here is a summary of the key regulations. They are not entirely comprehensive, nor does exceeding them automatically result in your memorial being refused; they should be taken as guidelines when considering the dimensions and appearance of a headstone.
No memorials should be made from synthetic materials. Only natural stones that are, or closely resemble those used in traditional local buildings in colour and texture should be used. Durability should also be considered, meaning that granite, marble, and slate are the most suitable stones.
The stone may be finished as rustic (rough/matt) or fine rubbed (smooth/gloss), but may not be polished to a reflective finish. Black or blue granite headstones may not be darker than a 'Rustenburg grey', and red granite should only be used where the church and/or surrounding buildings are of a similar colour stone. White marble is only permitted for headstones on infant burials.
Designs should be traditional. Crosses and sculptures will need the approval of the Chancellor, but they do not want to discourage statuary or crosses, providing that they are of a suitable design. Headstones with a curved top design are preferred over straight-edged rectangular shapes.
Contemporary designs such as memorials shaped as hearts or books are not permitted. Decoration to the headstone in the form of photographs or any other form of portrait, kerbing, metal chains, fencing, or railings, or gravel/chippings/glass is not permitted, and unlikely to be approved.
Inscriptions on the headstone are to be kept simple, respectful, and of Christian significance. Lettering must be incised into the stone, and may be finished in paint coloured either black, white, or silver. Gold leaf is permitted for the lettering, but not gold paint.
Neither plastic lettering nor lead inlaid lettering is permitted. Subsequent additions to an inscription must be approved separately.
Any headstone that falls inside the guidelines can be approved by the local church authorities. This doesn't mean that anything else is banned, but you do have to seek permission from the Chancellor of the Diocese of Exeter; this is called a faculty, and it is granted providing that the headstone is of good design and suitable for the churchyard.
More leeway is often granted for headstones in Devon burial grounds that are separate from the church building, especially in the choice of stone. Some churches in Devon are buildings of great historic importance, with other laws and regulations governing what is permitted in their grounds. This is something that we can help you with, ensuring that the headstone you choose is going to be permitted.
Cemeteries generally have their own regulations governing the kinds of memorials, and sometimes also the inscriptions and ornamentation, they will allow. These vary from place to place, so they need to be checked before any choice is made. We are always happy to assist.
How to order your memorial
Please consider visiting us so we can discuss all the aspects of your choice. Large or small, we are happy to help, and then to leave you to consider your choice carefully.
Select the memorial you would like and a suitable inscription, in our showroom, from the brochure, or with us on the phone. Hasty decisions frequently result in later regrets, so it can be sensible to wait and to spend time on selecting a suitable design.
Upon receiving your order, we will contact you to confirm that it has been received. Our team will also send you a scale drawing of the memorial with lettering for approval.
Following your approval, we will send you our details for payment of the deposit, at 50% of the total cost, and the memorial permit fee.
Once our team have received your payment, we will commence working on your memorial. We may need to contact you regarding the position of the memorial.
Your memorial will then be fixed. Fixing times depend on which memorial is chosen, if your chosen memorial is in stock and whether six months has elapsed since the burial (not applicable in Torquay cemetery). We will aim to complete memorial fixing for an anniversary or other important date specified by you.
An invoice for the remaining balance (50%) will be sent to you after your memorial has been fixed. The fixing date marks the start of your Certificate of Compliance, your lifetime guarantee.
Our memorial fixers are BRAMM registered. All memorials are fixed to BS8415 and come with a lifetime guarantee, and we have public & products liability insurance and also give a guarantee of the stability of our memorials.
We are members of the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) and the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM).
About Williams & Triggs
Devon memorial specialists Williams & Triggs have been based in Newton Abbot for well over 100 years, much of that time at our current showrooms and works in the Avenue. As we are a family run business, we offer a personal and highly professional service, with a large display and showroom for you to select a unique and special memorial of your choice with friendly advice and guidance.
The business is owned and run by Robert and Karen Williams. Daily we deal with memorials, and may be able to offer insights and thoughts which would not be immediately apparent.
"A renowned and respected service, with over 100 years of experience."
What families say
"Added my mum's details to existing headstone and refreshed all previous lettering. All beautifully done. Communication throughout to ensure correct wording was excellent. Would definitely recommend."
"We recently used Williams & Triggs Memorials to add my mum's name to her mother's headstone. Sandra was incredibly helpful throughout the whole process, showing kindness, understanding and professionalism at what was naturally a difficult time for our family. She kept us informed and made everything straightforward and stress-free. The finished work is excellent. The inscription has been completed to a very high standard and blends perfectly with the existing headstone. It is a beautiful tribute, and we are extremely pleased with the result."
"Such an efficient company to deal with from start to finish! We sadly lost our mum suddenly so a very emotional time for us . We arranged to meet and discuss our order of memorial stone and from the start we were supported , advised and such an easy process . Placing order was easy then straight through to the fitting at the cemetery went exactly as planned. As a family we highly recommend this company with no hesitation at all. A Beautiful stone for a beautiful lady."
"Thank you so much to everyone at Williams & Triggs. The headstone looks amazing. It's a beautiful and fitting tribute to my lovely sister, mum and dad. Thank you for all your help, care and guidance while we were thinking of the right words, layout and emblems for my dad's inscription. … Since the very beginning in 1994/1995, when my family originally had the headstone after my sister passed away, you have all shown compassion, kindness and understanding towards my family. Your knowledge and support has been invaluable."
"Absolutely fantastic service from start to finish Sandra was so helpful and made it as easy as possible .Many thanks for your help and a beautiful headstone."
Letters we have kept
We are professional memorial stone masons, with over 100 years experience. All memorials are fixed to BS8415 and come with a lifetime guarantee. Here are just a few of the notes families have sent us over the years.
"We were so pleased to see what a good job your craftsmen had done in making the Memorial Tablet, so I am just passing on our thanks. The positioning of the tablet is perfect with a good view of the river Dart. Please convey my family's thanks to the staff involved."
"We visited the cemetery on Saturday and whilst a great sadness overcame us all at the finality of dad's passing, we were very much at peace after seeing the excellent workmanship of the inscription. Please pass on our thanks to whoever did the work and we would like to also thank you for your sympathy at what was a very distressing time for us."
"Just a note to say thank you for a very nice job. I also wish to convey my thanks for all the advice and help that the ladies in the office gave us throughout this difficult time."
"I am most grateful to you for carrying out the additional inscription work and look forward to seeing it when next in Newton Abbot. I would also like to thank you for the professional and timely manner in which you undertook this task and indeed for all your help and efforts in organising matters with Teignbridge District Council."
"I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the splendid work. Both my mother and myself are very pleased with the headstone."
"I, and my family, are delighted with the headstone. It is just what we wanted. Thank you."
"I have been up to see the grave and am pleased with all the work you have carried out. It looks extremely dignified. Thank you."
"May I say that the whole thing looks very splendid and I know he would have been very pleased with the result."
"As always we are most grateful for your thoughtful advice, excellent workmanship and service."
"I visited Torquay last weekend and was very pleased with the work done. I would like to thank you for all your help in this matter."
"…you for an excellent job. It is very much appreciated."
Areas we work
We commonly take commissions from across Devon, with satisfied customers for our memorial masons throughout the county, from our works in Newton Abbot and our branch in Exeter.
Close to home
Contact your local memorial masons
If you are interested in what we do, or would just like some advice, please call, email or visit our showroom. There is no pressure and no rush.
01626 201157 enquiries@williamsandtriggs.co.uk
| Monday | 9am-5pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9am-5pm |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | 9am-5pm |
| Friday | 9am-4pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
