The exact age of St. Nicholas’ Church is unknown, but a church has been on that site for at least 800 years, with the first vicar recorded in 1321. Legend also says that the famous skull and crossbones flag (that we so commonly associate with pirates) was taken from the skulls atop the church’s gateposts. The skulls are actually said to represent eternal life. For more information and history on St. Nicholas’ Church, you can visit their website here.
While taking a week off so she and Matthew could move to Albury Street, Robin explores the area of her new home in Deptford. The old church catches Robin’s eye and she takes a stroll through the grounds.
“A pair of gigantic, crumbling stone skulls sat on top of carved bones on gateposts, beyond which a tall square tower rose. The finials would have looked at home, Robin thought, moving closer to examine the empty black eye sockets, garnishing the front of a pirate’s mansion in some fantasy film.” (Lethal White, Chapter 3)
After finishing a well-deserved ice cream, Robin sits on a bench and speaks to Strike on the phone about the odd visit from Billy Knight.
“She finished her ice cream while wandering around St. Nicholas’s, a strange amalgam of an old red-brick school grafted onto the rough stone tower. Finally she sat down on a wooden bench that had grown almost uncomfortably hot in the sun, stretched her aching back, drank in the delicious scent of warm roses…” (Lethal White, Chapter 3)
To visit St. Nicholas’ Church, find it on the map below