Guidelines for Cemetery Conservation - National Trust of Australia

GUIDELINES FOR CEMETERY CONSERVATION
PART FOUR -- APPENDICES
2. Monuments disassembled but not broken
Vandalism or temporary removal to permit essential
works.
3. Breaks in sturdy stone monuments
Accident, vandals and cattle; often involving heavy falls
on to masonry or iron surrounds or uneven ground.
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 rusting dowels (e.g. bronze, selected stainless steel).
In general, employ an experienced monumental mason to reset stone on plinth and
dowel parts together using waterproof epoxy resin adhesive (not standard Araldite). It
is important to avoid Portland cement.
4. Multiple breaks in relatively thin slabs.
As above
If re-erected they will be vulnerable to vandalism. The alternatives are:
a) leave lying on ground.
b) erect a solid slab cut to match, eg of fibrous cement floorboard,, and pin the pieces
to the slab with bronze or stainless steel dowels and waterproof epoxy resin.
c) pin pieces to a horizontal or sloping masonry base (so that water will not lie on the
upper surface). (Granites can be on a horizontal base, but other stones should be
sloping so that water will drain off.)
d) pin stones to a local structure(a last resort).
e) prepare a facsimile for erection on site and remove the original to a museum.
f) leave pieces on site, reproduce the inscription on a small stainless steel plate, and
fix this on site in a way that does not detract.
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