Inscriptions

Many war memorials carry inscriptions. These can include dedications, dates and names.

This section of the website is designed to identify how to conserve and maintain different types of inscription on different materials. We discuss issues related to conserving inscriptions and use examples, shown in photographs, to explain our approach and help you identify whether any works are required to your memorial.

There are no ‘rules’ regarding inscriptions. War Memorials Trust takes a conservation approach seeking to achieve a balance between the legibility of the lettering and integrity of the structure as a whole. It is important that the inscriptions remain legible but if retaining them will damage the rest of the memorial then alternatives may be appropriate. There is no 'one size fits all' answer and the condition of each memorial should be assessed on its own merits. This section seeks to outline some of the issues which should be considered.

If details relevant to your particular type of war memorial are not featured here please contact the Conservation Team who will be able to advise.