Guidelines for Cemetery Conservation - National Trust of Australia

Security matters
GUIDELINES FOR CEMETERY CONSERVATION
PART THREE - HOW
Where a stone has one or two pieces broken off it is important to maintain them until repair is
possible. If the pieces are too large for vandals to lift they should be laid on the grave plot,
face up, preferably on a bed of coarse sand, and sloping to shed water.
If smaller, the pieces may be stored, preferably locked up on site, and always in very clearly
labelled boxes under cover.
In cases where monuments have been shattered, severely damaged or are missing pieces, so
that re-erection over the grave is considered impractical, it is still desirable that the fragments
are retained within the cemetery. Fragments may, in such circumstances, be attached to a
wall or slab of appropriate design, incorporating material sympathetic to the cemetery.
If it is believed that the broken-off stub is a public danger due to sharp edges or the
possibility of tripping visitors, its position should be marked, eg with a star picket with cap.
Details of the original location of the fragments should be documented prior to removal and
re-erection. This information should be recorded on the wall or slab, as well as being lodged
with the relevant authority and local interest group (such as the local historical society, Local
Studies Library, or National Trust). The supporting structure should shed rainwater
effectively, so as to minimise rising damp and the weathering of monument pieces. The use
of mortar or cement should be minimised, and no iron or steel dowels (except stainless steel)
should be used in attaching broken fragments. No such work should be undertaken without
professional advice.
Repair options
Thick monuments with simple breaks can be pinned and glued using appropriate stainless
steel or non-ferrous (non-corroding) alloy dowels, generally set in a selected cold-setting
resin. (Standard Araldite, for example, is not suitable.) It is important to avoid iron or most
iron alloys or steel, as these will rust, expand, and break the monument.
There may also be a problem in use of resins in sandstone and marble, as it prevents moisture
migration in the stone. It is therefore undesirable in situations where the stone is subject to
rising damp, especially if it shows any signs of natural weathering.
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