Memorial Stones
Remembrance Stones from Ashes: The UK Guide
Stones made with cremated remains are the one keepsake that can hold most of what the crematorium returns. Here is how they are made, what the three providers serving the UK charge, and how to choose between them.
Photo: Spogad / spogads.com · Provided by Spogad
Most memorial keepsakes take a pinch. A pendant holds a fraction of a gram; a glass paperweight, a teaspoon. That leaves the question nobody warns you about: what happens to the rest? An adult cremation returns somewhere between 1.8 and 2.7 kilograms of remains, and a small keepsake barely touches it.
A remembrance stone is the answer some families are looking for. Instead of sealing a little ash inside another material, the ashes become the material. The result is solid, smooth and surprisingly heavy in the hand — and depending on the provider and the design, it can hold a large share of what you were given, or all of it.
How a stone is made
The process is broadly the same everywhere, and worth understanding because it explains both the cost and the wait.
- Preparation. Cremated remains are not pure bone ash. Metal — surgical pins, implants, coffin fittings — is separated out first.
- Mixing. The ash is combined with binding materials into a workable mixture. Every provider treats its exact recipe as proprietary; what matters to you is the proportion of ash, which is what makes it a remembrance stone rather than an ornament with ash inside.
- Forming. Either poured into a mould, shaped by hand, or cast from a model made for you.
- Firing or curing, then finishing. The piece is hardened, then polished and — usually — engraved.
Expect a few weeks, not days. None of this is quick, and a provider promising same-week delivery is worth asking hard questions of.
How much of the ashes a stone actually uses
This is the question that separates the options, and the one most often answered vaguely. Ask each provider directly, in writing, before you send anything:
- How much of the remains does this design use?
- What happens to whatever is left over?
- Will you return it, and in what?
At one end, Parting Stone is built entirely around the idea of using everything: its service solidifies 100% of the remains into what it describes as "an average of 40-80+ stones", the exact number depending on how much you send. At the other, a small keepsake stone uses a modest portion, and you will still need somewhere for the rest — an urn, a tree, or a scattering.
What it costs in the UK
Three providers serve UK families. Their published prices, checked on their own sites on 23 September 2026:
| Provider | What you get | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forever in Stones (UK) | Solidified remembrance stones, hand-finished, in a bamboo box with a Certificate of Transformation | Not published | Not published |
| Parting Stone (United States) | 100% of the remains as 40–80+ smooth stones | $2,495 | 10–12 weeks from ordering |
| Spogad (UK) | Remembrance Stone Heart, 13 × 11 × 3 cm on a wooden base | £350 for a pet, £400 for a person | 3–4 weeks from receiving the ashes |
| Spogad (UK) | Silhouette — a stone shaped as your pet | £310 from an existing mould; from £460 modelled from your photographs | 3–4 weeks |
One line in that table needs explaining, because it matters when you are comparing: Forever in Stones does not state its prices, its turnaround, or how much ash it uses anywhere on its site. That is not a judgement on the work — it may be excellent — but you will need to ask before you can compare it with anything else.
Parting Stone's $2,495 buys a different proposition from the others: not one object but a collection, and the only one of the three designed around the whole of the remains. It also asks for a minimum of a quarter-cup of ash, and mails you a collection kit rather than asking you to post the remains yourself.
What to check before you order
- The guarantee, and what it covers. Spogad offers five years against defects in materials and workmanship — not against dropping it on a tiled floor. Parting Stone advertises a "return-to-ash" satisfaction guarantee and a money-back guarantee.
- Whether your loved one's ashes are processed alone. Parting Stone states "100% individual batch processing". If a provider does not say, ask.
- How the ashes travel. Some arrange a courier; some send a kit; some expect you to post them. Ask what happens if a parcel goes missing, and get the answer in writing.
- Engraving. Usually a name and dates. Check whether it is included or extra, and ask to approve the layout before production.
- What the stone will actually look like. Colour varies with the mixture and any tint. Ask for photographs of finished pieces rather than renders.
A stone shaped like the animal you lost
One option has no equivalent among the others. Spogad makes a Silhouette: a remembrance stone formed in the shape of a pet rather than as an abstract object. Neither Forever in Stones nor Parting Stone offers a shaped animal figure.
There are two versions, and the difference is worth understanding. The ready-made version, £310, uses what Spogad describes as "neutral moulds that are not tied to a specific breed or appearance" — a generic cat, a generic dog. The personalised version, from £460, is modelled for you: a designer builds a three-dimensional model from photographs you provide, revises it with your feedback, produces a casting mould, and makes test pieces before the stone itself is crafted from the ashes. All of that is included in the price.
If the shape of your animal was particular to them — one ear that never stood up, the way they sat — the personalised version is the one that will look like them. We cover it in detail in our guide to pet memorial stones.
Common questions
Can a remembrance stone really hold all of the ashes?
Some services are built around it — Parting Stone solidifies 100% of the remains into a collection of stones. A single shaped stone, such as a heart, uses a portion; how large a portion depends on the design, so ask.
Are the ashes visible in the finished stone?
No. Unlike glass, where the ash shows as a pale veil, in a remembrance stone the remains become part of the material itself. The colour comes from the mixture and any tint you choose.
How durable is it?
Designed to last for generations with ordinary care. It is still a solid object that can chip if dropped on a hard floor, which is why the guarantee terms are worth reading before you buy.
Can I have one made for a pet?
Yes — all three providers serve pets, and for many families it is the first keepsake they consider. See our guide to pet memorial stones.
What happens to the ashes that are not used?
A reputable provider returns them. Confirm it in writing before sending anything, and ask what container they come back in.
Sources
- Remembrance Stone Heart and Remembrance Stone Silhouette — Spogad; prices, dimensions, guarantee, turnaround (checked 23 September 2026)
- Parting Stone — solidified remains for people — price, minimum ash, number of stones, 10–12 week timeline, guarantees (checked 23 September 2026)
- Forever in Stones — process, presentation, pets; no prices or timings published (checked 23 September 2026)
- How much ash is left after cremation — Funeral.com, citing the Cremation Association of North America (checked 21 September 2026)
Disclosure: From Ashes has a commercial relationship with Spogad and may earn from orders placed through us. It does not affect which providers we cover or what we say about them — Forever in Stones and Parting Stone are named here because they are the alternatives, and we have no relationship with either.
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