APPENDIX B

TABULATED GUIDE TO THE CONSERVATION OF MONUMENTS

The following notes are intended as a general guide to recommended procedures in the conservation of cemetery monuments. The recommended solutions should be regarded as options and not as definitive answers as they will not apply in every case. It is recommended that professional advice be sought prior to the commencement of any restoration work.

Problem Due to Solutions
1. Leaning and fallen monuments Failure of footings and/or foundations because of:     
   normal compaction of grave fill Wait to stabilize them. Re-bed monument on porous fill, e.g. sand.
   vault distortion or collapse Seek professional advice on stabilization or re—construction.
   water erosion Correct drainage problem.
   rabbit burrows Fill holes with cobbles and earth.
   tree roots raising one side Chop off offending root.
   differential compaction, e.g. one side on rock and other on fill, or one side dry and the other side wet due to broken drain or hollow in ground Check drainage, improve if necessary and re—bed in sand.
   soil creep onhillside Generally an intractable problem, however avoid the removal of local bushes and trees. It is sometimes caused by poor subsurface drainage, in which case an agricultural drain on the uphill side may help.
   

soil slump, i.e. localized movements of land usually after heavy rain

a)on river banks and gullies

b)in slate and shale areas

Note that a slight lean is not a problem unless the cemetery is subject to vandalism, in which case the lean will attract the attention of vandals, or unless the lean is causing the lettering to fret on the leaning side.





a) erosion control measures

b) uphill drainage control.
2. Monuments disassembled but not broken Vandalism or temporary removal to permit essential works. Check top of plinth to ensure that it is level, re—bed if necessary. Re—assemble, avoiding Portland cement. For tall structures vulnerable to vandalism consider introduction of non ferrous dowels (e.g. bronze).

3. Broken Monuments

(i) Breaks in sturdy stone monuments

(ii)multiple breaks in relatively thin slabs.

 Accident, vandals and cattle; often involving heavy falls on masonry or iron surrounds or uneven ground.

In general, employ an experienced monumental mason to reset stone on plinth and dowel parts together using waterproof epoxy resin adhesive. It is important to avoid Portland cement.
 If re-erected they will be vulnerable to vandalism. The alternatives are:

a) leave lying on ground.

b) erect a solid slab, and pin the pieces to slab with bronze dowels and waterproof epoxy resin.

c) pin pieces to horizontal or sloping slab (so that water will not lie on upper surface). e.g. Granites can be horizontal but limestones should have water thrown off.

d) pin stones to a local structure(a last resort)

e) prepare a facsimile for erection on site and remove original to museum.

f) leave pieces on site, reproduce inscription on small stainless steel plate and erect inconspicuously on site.

5. Monuments with cracked or broken mortise in the plinth Fall Where mortise is damaged the options are:

(a) replace plinth with a facsimile.

(b) cut back existing plinth and remortise.

(c) set stone in similar moulded concrete plinth with mortise, in the same way as original.
6. Masonry cracking Pressure from the continuing process of iron rusting and expanding when damp

(a) where iron cramps within the masonry have expanded replace with bronze clamps, and repair masonry.

(b) where wrought iron rails posts and bars have expanded and cracked masonry:·

  • remove iron from masonry
  • scrape away loose rust
  • treat as set out in 10. (hot dip galvanize if possible)
  • apply protective paint
  • repair masonry
  • lead-in prepared hole in masonry ensuring that no part of iron is in contact with stone
  • stop interstices in masonry to make watertight and ensure that water is diverted from area.
7. Spalling, fretting and delamination of monuments

Rising damp particularly near the base of the stone)

Salt accumulation (particularly under mouldings)

Ponding of rainwater (particularly on shoulders and carving of monument)

Improve drainage at the base of the stone.

Note that re—setting stone monuments improperly in concrete will accelerate this deterioration and any work should be avoided unless it is strictly in accord with the procedures outlined in Appendix C.

Where significant monuments are already so set and deteriorating, the concrete base should be broken off as carefully as possible and the monument re—bedded.

Stones should be reset vertically if they are leaning in such a way that the inscription or decorative side is inclined to the ground.

Remove loose and flaking stone. Fill cracks with acrylic resin.

Remove overhanging branches which trap airborne dust and salt particles and shed them upon the stone.

Repair pointing to prevent entry of water if it is a compound monument. Ensure that water is thrown off monument.

8. Inscriptions fretting on monuments See (7).Also abrasion by vegetation in a wind

Treat cause as in (7) above, but first record as much of inscription aspossible and photograph with the sun slanting across the face of the stone. Lodge record with local History Society and Society of Genealogists.

As a general rule inscriptions and decorations in stone which are of interest because of their style and character should not be recut. In such cases a small stainless steel plate with punched inscriptions may be fixed to the rear of the stone with water-proof epoxy resin adhesive.

In exceptional cases where the character of the inscription and detailing of the monument is of such significance that it must be preserved, it should be carefully removed to a prepared location in a local museum and a facsimile monument erected in its place.

Other inscriptions may be recut provided:

  • it is carried out by a competent letter cutter.

  • the precise character and mistakes of the original are meticulously retained.

  • the initials or symbol of the new cutter and the year are cut in an inconspicuous place.
9. Rusting of cast iron memorials and loss of inscriptions Exposure to elements Rusting of cast iron memorials such as those by ETNA and PATTON is superficial and presents no structural problems. However as the inscriptions are generally painted on, these are rapidly lost and should be recorded before all trace is gone. Failing this, documentary and oral sources should be tapped.
10. Rusting of wrought iron memorials and surrounds Exposure to damp Rusting surfaces onmost wrought iron is not seriouslydamaging unless itis flaking heavily.However where treatment is necessary the iron work should be dismantled, grit blasted back to a hard surface and rust inhibitor Alternatively the iron can be applied galvanized and painted.
11. Iron monuments broken in parts Vandalism Parts can be joined if necessary by pinor splint.
12. Monuments astray from their oriqinal location   

Attempt to ascertain from documentary (cemetery surveys and registers) and oral sources (family) the correct location and reinstate.

Where the original location cannot be found, place the monument in a group of strays.

13. Odd alignment of monuments This is not a problem, such stones are usually early and date from a period before the cemetery was surveyed. As such they and their alignment are of particular interest and should be carefully preserved.
14. Deterioration of leaded lettering on marble monuments Frequently weathering of marble adjacent to letters Can be re-leaded:may require extensive work.
15. Red staining on white marble from lead lettering Chemical attack on lead, mainly in industrial areas. Partial removal by scrubbing with water and soft bristle brushes.
16. Growth of mosses, lichens and fungus on monuments Moisture and type of stone used. e.g. marble are liable to black mould and sandstones to lichen These growths offer some physical protection to the stone and at the same time do slight damage. On balance they may be left unless they are unsightly or obscure the lettering. In such cases an organic poison should be applied and the growth allowed to dry and fall off over a period of time. Don’t attempt to scrape it off.
17. Growth of disruptive vegetation on masonry Lack of maintenance Where sturdy shrub or tree seedlings take root on monuments and surrounds they should be poisoned and allowed to die and decay. They should not be pulled out where it will damage the masonry.
18. Damage by cattle and horses to monuments Inadequate fencing and gates Ensure that fencing is cattle, horse and pig proof. Much damage can be done by cattle and horses leaning on monuments to scratch themselves. Sheep and goats if tethered and supervised can make useful lawn mowers provided that edible plants important to the cemetery landscape are not present.