Memorial Benches: How to Choose the Right Location and Inscription
Memorial benches are a popular way to commemorate the death of a loved one. It provides a place for you to visit and reflect on their life, while also offering a space for other people to enjoy, even if they didn’t know the person.
A well-placed bench in a popular beauty spot can quickly become a favourite place for people to sit and watch the world go by. If you decide you’d like to place a bench at a popular beauty spot, the first step will be to choose where it will go.
You then need to choose the right inscription for the bench, so that everyone knows why the bench has been placed there. This can help family and friends find the memorial bench with ease.
In this guide, we’re looking at the process of choosing a location for your memorial bench – including getting permission – and choosing the right inscription for your loved one. By the end of this article, you should have a much clearer idea about what you would like to say with your memorial inscription and where it should be placed.
Where can you put a memorial bench?
You can put your memorial bench in a range of public and private locations, including popular beauty spots, national parks, beaches, botanical gardens and coastal paths. Councils will also allow you to place your memorial bench on their land, provided you seek permission and the bench meets their requirements.
Some places won’t allow you to place your own bench, but will allow you to add an inscription to an existing bench.
When looking for the perfect location for your memorial bench, the first thing to consider is where your loved one enjoyed spending their time. Placing a memorial bench in the location that was special during their lifetime is a beautiful way to remember them.
When placing your bench, avoid the following potential issues:
- Areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour – you don’t want your beloved bench to become a hotspot for graffiti and litter.
- Areas prone to flooding – you might lose the bench if it is placed on a floodplain.
- Areas of coastal erosion – like flooding, coastal erosion also creates added risk for your bench.
- Areas that are difficult to reach – placing a bench in a hard to reach area might encourage people to engage in risky behaviour to reach it, which could become a nuisance to local authorities.
- Areas with poor access – remember that you’ll need to get the bench to the location, which could be difficult without vehicle access.
The ideal place for your memorial bench would be a secluded beauty spot that receives some visitors, but not so many that it becomes difficult to enjoy a moment alone with your thoughts.
Do you need permission?
You will need the landowners permission to place a memorial bench, but this is often freely given. Benches are often welcomed by landowners as they provide a place to sit and enjoy a picnic, for example. This can help to boost visitor numbers and make the place more vibrant.
You might face restrictions on where you can place a bench if there are already lots of benches in the area. For example, you might be told you cannot place a bench in sight of another bench, so you might not get your first choice.
If an area is very popular, you might be invited to place a plaque on an existing bench and plant a memorial tree instead. In this case, you’ll have a choice to make between sharing a memorial bench or placing it in a lesser known area.
What should the inscription say?
Bench inscriptions are very personal and could be as simple as “In Loving Memory Of…” and then the person’s name.
You might also include the names of family members left behind. Or you could include a message about why they loved this particular place.
Your message will often need to be approved before you can place your bench, as the landowner will want to ensure that it couldn’t be seen as offensive to others. You will naturally need to avoid using any profanity on the inscription.
Some popular inscriptions include:
“In loving memory of [Name], forever in our hearts.”
“Gone but never forgotten.”
“Always remembered, always loved.”
“Rest here and remember [Name].”
“Sit, rest, and remember a life well lived.”
“A place to pause, reflect, and smile.”
“Time passes, love remains.”
“[Name] – who loved this view, this life, and all of us.”
“Her laughter still echoes here.”
“He found peace here. May you, too.”
Ask friends and family if they have any suggestions for inscription. You might include a favourite quote from a book, or a saying they were known for. Inscriptions can also be wry and funny, provided they aren’t rude or offensive.
Do I have to maintain the bench?
You may feel an attachment to the bench and may feel the desire to keep it looking beautiful. This often isn’t a requirement, but it’s nice to keep the area looking tidy for other visitors. You might visit once a year to pull up weeds around the bench, clean up the wood and polish the plaque.
It’s also a nice idea to take care of the wider area by bringing litter picking tools and helping to keep the area free from rubbish. Again, this isn’t a requirement for placing a bench in a public area, but it is a positive thing you can do for your community.
Remember that once you have placed the bench, you are donating it to the area, so you cannot hold any further claim over it. Unless you choose to take the bench away, you’ll have to accept that it may be used by anyone.
Final thoughts on memorial benches
The two most difficult decisions you will have to make when placing a memorial bench is where you will put it and what the inscription will say. This is a time to bring everyone together to share their thoughts and reach a conclusion as a family unit. Once you have permission, you can then create a calm and serene place to sit and remember your loved one.