North And East Walls To Churchyard Of St Nicholas And Gate Piers On West Wall

The north and east walls of the churchyard of St Nicholas, along with the gate piers on the west wall, date from 1697 and have undergone later repairs. They are constructed of red brick in Flemish bond, topped with stone coping. The gate piers on the west side are decorated with Portland stone scrolls and are capped with Portland stone copings featuring finials shaped like skulls with laurel wreaths over crossbones. There is a blocked gateway flanked by piers on the east side, and another blocked gateway on the north side, which has piers made of gauged and cut brick with stone copings. The east wall contains memorial tablets, including a 20th-century tablet commemorating Christopher Marlowe, who was buried here in 1593. The eastern gate piers are noted as some of the finest found in any churchyard.