Memorial Bench Wording: What to Write and How It Is Carved

Most memorial bench inscriptions work best as a name, a set of dates, and one short line of text (a memory, quote, or association with a friend or family member). A brass plaque allows up to 140 characters, which is less than it sounds. Some designs will allow the use of CNC machine engraving.

With wording, we always say to our customers that ‘less is more’ – be succinct, rather than trying to cram too much into the space.

Start With the Character Limit

It helps to know what you have to work with, before you start writing.

Our brass plaques accommodate up to 140 characters, though fewer words tend to read better. A carved inscription, whether cut by hand or by CNC machine, is set out differently, and we will advise on what will fit the design you have chosen.

140 characters is equal to roughly 20 to 25 words. That is a name, two dates, and a single sentence.

Ways to Structure the Wording

Rather than starting from a list of quotations, it is easier to pick a shape for the text to take, and then fill in the gaps. These four cover most of what people arrive at.

Name and dates alone

Understated and often the most affecting. For example: Margaret Ellen Hale, 1938 to 2024.

Name, dates and relationship

Adds who they were to the people who chose the bench. For example: In memory of Margaret Hale, 1938 to 2024, much loved mother and grandmother.

Name, dates and place

Works particularly well when the bench is going to be placed where they used to sit. For example: Margaret Hale, 1938 to 2024, who loved this view.

Name, dates and a short line of their own

Something they said, or something that was true of them. For example: Margaret Hale, 1938 to 2024, always the first to the top of the hill.

If more than one person is deciding, it is worth agreeing the structure before anyone drafts words.

Carving Options

There are three options and they suit different things. Please be mindful that different designs can accommodate various options – so don’t hesitate to contact us directly to discuss your requirements.

CNC Machine Carved Inscription

Available in-house on selected memorial benches. This option ensures even lettering, but the space depends on the length of the back rail you choose, so wording is kept to a minimum, typically a name, a date, and perhaps a short phrase.

Engraved Brass Plaque

A brass plaque etched with your wording. Easier to specify than carving, and the 140-character limit applies here, though shorter wording tends to read better.

Our teak bench engraving page sets out the options in full. Please note that our plaques can only be fitted to Chic Teak benches.

Hand Carved Inscription

Cut into the teak by hand, by a local carpenter. The most traditional choice, and it reads as part of the bench rather than something attached to it. Because it's priced per letter and space is limited, most hand-carved inscriptions are kept to a name and a date. Teak's smooth, close-grained surface holds a carved letter cleanly as the timber ages.

How the Wording Reads in Decades to Come

A few practical considerations:

• Read it aloud before you commit. Wording that looks right on a screen sometimes does not sound right
• Count the characters, including spaces, rather than estimating
• Consider how it reads to someone sitting there who never knew them. Names and dates give a stranger something to hold onto. Private references may not
• Avoid abbreviations you would not want carved permanently
• Check the spelling of every name with someone else. It can be a costly mistake to get this wrong

A teak bench will outlast almost everyone who reads it. Our chairman's first bench has been outside for over half a century. Wording that works for a stranger in 2075 is worth the extra thought now.

Do You Need Permission to Place a Memorial Bench?

If the bench is going anywhere other than a private garden, usually yes, and this is the thing that most often catches people out after they have ordered.

Permission normally comes from the landowner, the parish or district council, or the parochial church council in the case of a churchyard. Requirements vary between authorities, and some have their own rules about bench design, plaque wording and how long a dedication lasts. It is worth asking before you order rather than afterwards, and we’re not able to arrange permissions on your behalf.

Choosing Teak for a Memorial Bench

A memorial bench is made to outlast the moment it marks. In thirty years' time it should still stand firm and still offer a place to sit and remember. Carefully selected Grade A heartwood teak does this with no treatment at all. The natural oils and silica held deep within the timber protect it from rot, insects and weather, season after season, without any help.

Heartwood teak also honours an inscription. Its close, smooth grain holds carved lettering crisply, so names and words stay clear and legible as the timber weathers to a quiet silver-grey.

Explore our teak memorial benches collection, or browse the wider teak benches range. Most of our benches can be inscribed or fitted with a plaque. The one exception is the Lutyens, whose frame doesn't leave room for either.

Memorial Bench: FAQs

What should I write on a memorial bench?

A name, dates and one short line is the structure that works most often. With a 140-character plaque you have room for roughly twenty to twenty-five words in total, so choosing the shape of the wording first makes the writing much easier.

How many characters fit on a memorial bench plaque?

Up to 140 characters on a brass plaque, including spaces, though fewer characters tend to read better. Carved inscriptions are set out differently, and we will advise on what suits the bench you choose.

Remember, a space is a character for counting purposes.

Who do I need to ask before placing a bench somewhere public?

Usually the landowner, the local council or the parochial church council, and requirements vary. Please confirm before ordering.

How long does a personalised bench take?

Our standard delivery is normally within 14 days subject to stock, and personalisation can extend that. We will confirm timings when you order.

Can I have a memorial bench for a pet or an occasion?

Yes. Inscriptions are not limited to memorials for people. You can mark weddings, anniversaries, retirements and much-loved pets in the same way.

Which benches can be inscribed or fitted with a plaque?

Most of our benches can take an inscription or a plaque. The exception is the Lutyens, whose frame doesn't leave room for either. CNC carving is available on selected memorial benches, and we'll confirm the options for the design you choose.

Will a carved inscription fade over time?

Heartwood teak has a close, smooth grain that holds carved lettering cleanly, so names and words stay legible as the timber weathers to a silver-grey patina.

Can a plaque be fitted to a bench from another supplier?

No. Our plaques can only be fitted to Chic Teak benches.

Can one bench remember more than one person?

Yes. Keep the space in mind, though: a 140-character plaque fits two names and two sets of dates, but leaves little room for anything more.

How long will a teak memorial bench last?

Decades. Our chairman's first bench has stood outside for over half a century.