Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England London St. Nicholas Church Memento Mori

St. Nicholas Church Memento Mori

These morbid carvings remind churchgoers of the inevitability of death.

London, England

Added By
AmunyAnkhesenra
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Skull and crossbones memento mori.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Churchyard of St Nicholas Deptford.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
Memorial to Christopher Marlowe.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Memento mori of St Nicholas Deptford.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
Charnel house of St Nicholas Deptford.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
St Nicholas Church, Deptford.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

As London churches go, St. Nicholas Church in Deptford is fairly typical. Founded in the 12th century, its tower dates from the 14th century, while the rest is largely 17th century with additional reconstruction work from after the Blitz. But though the church itself may seem ordinary, the churchyard holds intriguing treasures. 

Atop the two gateposts of the main entrance sit skull and crossbones carvings, years of weathering only adding to their already somewhat gruesome appearance. They were never intended to be frightening—they're memento mori, there to remind churchgoers of the inevitability of death and prompt people to reflect on the transient nature of earthly possessions and pursuits.

The carvings also have associations to the church’s charnel house, still standing though no longer in use. At one point, there were more burials than could fit into the ground, so the cleaned bones of the dead were piled up inside to wait for the resurrection.

A persistent rumor is that these memento mori were the inspiration for the classic piratical flag, the Jolly Roger. Sadly, this seems very unlikely to be true.

At the rear of the churchyard lies another type of memorial, that of playwright Christopher Marlowe, who is buried in an unmarked grave nearby. Marlowe is best remembered for Doctor Faustus, and he may have lived to become a playwright to rival Shakespeare, had he not been murdered in 1593 at the age of just 29. The official account was that Marlowe was killed in a dispute over a bill with one Ingram Frizer, but the likelihood is that the truth is much more complex.

Marlowe was known to be engaged in spying activities, and 10 days before his death, a warrant was issued for his arrest, ostensibly on a charge of heresy. Marlowe willingly handed himself in and was granted bail. On the day of his death, he spent time in a house with Frizer and two other men, all of whom had been in the employ of Elizabethan spymasters, so it seems much more likely that Marlowe was assassinated, particularly as his murderer was soon granted a pardon.

Related Tags

Memento Mori Churches Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

AmunyAnkhesenra

Edited By

SEANETTA

  • SEANETTA

Published

March 14, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
St. Nicholas Church Memento Mori
St Nicholas Church
Deptford Green
London, England, SE8 3HF
United Kingdom
51.481923, -0.022741
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Evelyn’s Mulberry

London, England

miles away

Deptford Anchor

London, England

miles away

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 109

Nearby Places

Evelyn’s Mulberry

London, England

miles away

Deptford Anchor

London, England

miles away

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 109

Related Places

  • The Dance of Death fresco at Marienkirche.

    Berlin, Germany

    'The Dance of Death'

    At one of Berlin’s oldest churches, visitors can place mosaic tiles to help restore a medieval mural.

  • One of the tombstone skeletons.

    Valletta, Malta

    St. John’s Co-Cathedral Skeleton Tombstones

    The floor of this spectacular Baroque sanctuary is covered in memento mori.

  • Thomas and Mary Howard.

    Rudbaxton, Wales

    Church of St. Michael

    Eerily lifelike effigies stare at everyone who enters this sanctuary.

  • Skulls on the wooden door.

    Matera, Italy

    Chiesa del Purgatorio

    Skulls and skeletons are omnipresent in this church dedicated to souls trapped in purgatory.

  • The Quarter Boys and their message.

    East Sussex, England

    The Quarter Boys

    Two gilded cherubs perched on a church bell tower have been reminding visitors of the finitude of life since 1760.

  • “The Tree of Life’ in Segovia Cathedral.

    Segovia, Spain

    Allegory of 'The Tree of Life'

    A curious memento mori hangs in the magnificent Cathedral of Segovia.

  • Danse Macabre stained glass.

    Lübeck, Germany

    Danse Macabre Stained Glass

    Dancing skeletal figures pay homage to a medieval mural destroyed during World War II.

  • Rome, Italy

    Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte

    At the crypt of St. Mary of Eulogies and the Dead you are left alone to ponder mortality among piles of skulls.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.