About Us | Ayrshire Memorials

Careful and professional care when placing headstones - Ayrshire Memorials Ltd

Our story

Founded on craft.
Built on trust.

"We came into this trade with a simple belief: that the people who come to us deserve to be treated like family."

Ayrshire Memorials was established over 30 years ago by a stonemason who believed that the quality of a memorial — and the care with which it was produced — mattered deeply. That it was not merely a product, but a mark of love that would stand for generations.

Today, his grandchildren continue that work. Our third generation has grown up around stone dust and chisels, around grieving families and the quiet satisfaction of work done well. We have a team of six craftspeople, all working in-house at our Ayrshire workshop. Nothing is sent out. Nothing is outsourced.

Over seventy years, we have served thousands of Ayrshire families. Some of them we have served more than once — returning years later when another stone is needed, or to update one that was made by the previous generation. That continuity is something we are deeply proud of.

Speak with our team

Founded

The beginning

Our founder established the business in Ayrshire, working from a small workshop with a small number of tools and a firm belief in doing things properly. Word spread quickly among local families.

1990s

The second generation takes over

The founder's children grew up in the trade, training alongside their father before taking the helm. The business grew steadily, expanding its range of granites and developing new carving techniques.

2000s

NAMM membership & professional standards

We joined the National Association of Memorial Masons, committing to the professional standards and code of practice that ensure families receive the service they deserve.

2010s

The third generation

The grandchildren of our founder joined the business, learning customer facing skills and the trade, then bringing new skills — including laser-cut lettering and computer-aided design — while preserving the hand-craft traditions at the heart of our work.

Today

Modern craft. Cutting-edge services.

With six in-house craftspeople and RQMF certification, we serve families across Ayrshire and throughout Scotland. Alongside traditional stonework, we now offer the best photographic memorials with in-house digital enhancement, and QR-linked digital memorial pages — a permanent, engraved code connecting a stone to a living family tribute online. Traditional values. Modern capabilities. We recently were recognised as Scotland's Best Cemetery Memorial Company in 2024, which we gratefully thank our clients and friends for nominating us for. We hope this show we our continued and unending commitment to being, and giving the best that we can to our customers.

No pressure, ever

We understand that families come to us in difficult times. We will never hurry you, push a particular choice, or make you feel uncomfortable. We work at your pace, full stop.

Everything in-house

Every memorial we create is designed, carved and finished by our own craftspeople in our Ayrshire workshop. We never use subcontractors. What you see is what we make.

We handle the paperwork

Cemetery permissions, foundation checks, burial authority approvals — we deal with all of it on your behalf. You shouldn't have to navigate bureaucracy at a time like this.

Truly bespoke design

We don't sell from a catalogue. We listen to what matters to you, and we design from there. Every stone we make is unique — as unique as the person it commemorates.

Your approval at every stage

Nothing proceeds without your say-so. We provide detailed drawings for approval before any work begins on stone, and we welcome your feedback and changes at every step.

There when it matters

We attend the installation ourselves, and we're happy for families to be present if they wish. It's a significant moment, and we treat it as such. You'll always have a real person to call.

Craftsperson hand-chiselling a granite memorial

The craft

Stone that will
last a century

"We don't think of what we make as products. We think of them as things that will outlast us."

The techniques we use have been refined over more than 30 years and three generations. Our craftspeople train for years before working on a commission independently. Hand-cut lettering, the kind that has defined British memorial masonry for centuries, sits alongside modern laser-engraving and computer-aided design — we choose the right method for each stone, not the most convenient.

We also offer photograph engraving — a portrait or image laser-etched permanently into the stone, with our in-house team able to digitally restore or enhance any photograph to the standard required. And for families who want a memorial that lives beyond the stone, we engrave QR codes directly into the granite, linking to a private digital page the family curates themselves. Not a tag. Not a sticker. Engraved to last.

We source granite from quarries in Scotland, Scandinavia, Africa and India — each with its own character. Limestone and sandstone from English and Scottish quarries. We know our materials intimately, and we'll guide you through the choice.

See our work

National Association of Memorial Masons

NAMM is the professional body for the memorial masonry industry in the UK. Membership requires adherence to a strict code of conduct covering quality, pricing transparency, and after-sales care. As a NAMM member, you have access to their mediation and complaint service.

RQMF Quality Certification

The Registered Qualified Memorial Fixers scheme certifies that our installation team have demonstrated the technical competence to install memorials safely and to the standards required by UK cemeteries and burial authorities. This certification is required by a growing number of local authorities.

Federation of Small Businesses

We are proud members of the Federation of Small Businesses — the UK's leading business organisation representing small businesses and the self-employed. FSB membership reflects our commitment to ethical trading, supporting the local economy, and maintaining the standards of a professional, responsible business.

★★★★★

"Graeme and his team are outstanding, helped organise and design, the exact headstone we wanted for my little brother, kept in the loop at every stage and we were so happy when we seen it installed. Just what we were after, couldn’t recommend them enough."

Cheryl B.

Ayrshire

★★★★★

"An excellent, professional service. My late father's regimental badge - despite being extremely intricate - was expertly engraved on his headstone. Many thanks for your first class work."

Joyce W.

Ayrshire

★★★★★

"Graeme at Ayrshire memorials went above and beyond to assist me with an inscription on my Dads headstone.His work is second to none.Excellent communication throughout the whole process,I can't recommend Ayrshire Memorials enough.Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Louise N.

Ayrshire

Over 30 Years.
One Family.

Founded on craft.
Built on trust.