Updated: July 2022

This is one of our most recently made slate headstones. It features a finely carved wheel in sunken relief at the top.

Each of the following 20 headstones is unique with its own individual character. I hope they inspire you.

Slate is a wonderful material to work with; although it is unforgiving, and there is no room for error, you are rewarded with a precision and fine detail which no other stone can match.

Although there are many types of slate that can be used for carving headstones I only use the finest available. The headstones below are all Cumbrian grey slate with a honed (never polished) surface. Sometimes a light wash of paint is used on the slate headstones once carved, especially if they are very small. This slate is dark grey which is different to the green slate I also use which is also known as Westmoreland Slate, and is a green-grey and much lighter in colour. See this post for green slate headstone ideas.

1. Slate headstone for a musician

This headstone was made for a musician and it has some bars of music on the back. It was commissioned by the singer Corinne Bailey Rae for her husband who was a saxophonist. There is a gilded gold disc at the top and a small gilded star at the bottom.

2. Slate Memorial for a teenager

This teenage memorial was commissioned in slate and stands proud at 4ft tall, one of my tallest memorials. The lettering of the headstone is unusual in being painted a light wash of pale blue instead of off-white. Teenage memorials must reflect the character of the young person who left this world too soon, and capturing their spirit is always a challenge.

3. Slate headstone with relief carving of Kingfisher

This headstone has a relief carving of a kingfisher adapted from a painting by Christopher Bunn whom the memorial stone commemorates.

4. Slate headstone with capital letters

This headstone demonstrates how fine capital letters can look and how an inscription can take on a pleasing shape.

5. Bespoke slate headstone with Caslon lettering

Here we have highlighted the ornamental and decorative qualities of the lovely Caslon ampersand and made it the focal point. It is balanced with a representation of a Caslon ornament

6. Unique slate headstone

It is an unusual idea to have the epitaph above the name, but it's another way to draw the reader in. The occasional flourish and ligatures all help to soften the wording giving it a more approachable feel.

7. Traditional slate headstone

Sometimes all you need are the names and dates. Good material, good letters, good spacing and good layout go a long way. Not much else is really required.

8. Pebble headstone in slate

Sometimes a memorial stone needs to be tactile. A pebble off the beach is good to hold in the palm of one's hand. A pebble headstone has the same attraction. The lettering doesn't need to be wild; it would detract from the calm shape.

9. Unique slate headstone with boat carving

A carving contained in a circle calms it down, taking away the sharp edges. The boat style (a modern sloop) used here is not generic, but correct. Much research went into making everything right.

10. Slate gravestone with line carving of a horse

An inscription like 'imagination rules the world' was chosen by the family to reflect Nigel Fisher's nature and attitude. However, it has the benefit of speaking to everyone who reads it. In other words, it might be a personal epitaph but it might also make the reader reflect on his or her own life.

Slate headstones near me

People often ring to ask: "Are there are any headstones near me?". We have been making slate and green slate headstones and gravestones UK- wide for over 20 years and it is likely that one of our slate headstones can be found within a short distance if you would like to see one in-situ.

Based in Oxfordshire, we have many slate gravestones in the home counties and in London, but we also make slate headstones as far north as Scotland, and as far south as Cornwall.

Being central, most clients find they can reach us fairly easily and if you prefer, we can also work to design a slate headstone with you remotely using examples from our website and our headstones book. Below are some slate headstones in Oxfordshire.

Slate lends itself very well to fine relief carvings. As it is very hard, we can carve in great detail, and as the material doesn't weather quickly, the carvings retain their beauty for many years to come.