Memorial bench

Memorial Benches – Because Memories Are Precious

In the hustle and bustle of today’s hectic world, it can be all too hard to find the time or space for a moment of quiet reflection. Finding the time for friends and families is hard enough, let alone remembering those precious loved ones who are no longer with us.

So when the occasion arises and we are gifted with the opportunity to relax and breathe freely, the opportunity to free our thoughts and dedicate our minds to what really matters should be savoured.

Whatever your surroundings, be it sweeping lawns and landscaped vistas, a woodland walk, a nature reserve or even a park, choosing the right spot to sit is key to enjoying a comfortable and calm meditation. Only when you are seated in comfort can you truly relax and clear your thoughts.

This article helps answers some of the questions that need answering when considering a memorial bench.

Kirsty MacColl memorial bench in Soho Square, London; a close-up of the engraved lyrics

A memorial bench or memorial seat is a piece of furniture which commemorates a person who has died. Memorial benches are typically made of wood, but can also be made of metal, stone, or synthetic materials. Typically memorial benches are placed in public places but are often also placed in domestic gardens.

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  Apollo 1 granite memorial benches on the southern edge of the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34, Florida
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  Bench in the village of Rhos in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, a memorial to the Primrose Colliery disaster of 1858, which claimed the lives of 14 miners (men and boys) and 7 horses
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  Class of 1980 Memorial bench near the north trailhead of the Flirtation Walk, West Point, New York
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  Memorial benches at the Royal Military College of Canada
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  Memorial seat commemorating the Ulster Defence Regiment at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
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  Robert Aske Memorial seat in Swainby, North Yorkshire
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  John Brown 1826–1883 Memorial Bench at Osborne House, Isle of Wight
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  The Canterbury Pioneer Women's Memorial at the top of Bridle Path in New Zealand, with the Jane Deans memorial seat in the foreground
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  Ian Dury memorial bench in Richmond Park, southwest London
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  Andrew Haswell Green's memorial bench in Central Park, New York City
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  Walter Lord memorial bench at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, engraved with his books' titles
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  Memorial bench and plaque dedicated to C. F. Powell at the site of his death in the foothills of the Alps, Italy

See also

• Commemorative plaque