A Glastonbury Romance - Characters in "A Glastonbury Romance"

Characters in "A Glastonbury Romance"

• John Geard, a mystic who influenced the late Canon Crow of Glastonbury and received the man's riches when he died. Geard becomes mayor of the town during the course of the novel and becomes obsessed with the Grail Legend, commissioning new monuments for the town and promoting his own religious brand of Grail-worship. He is married to Megan Geard - a marriage that is still physically passionate unlike that of Geard's rival, Philip Crow. Geard becomes fascinated with the youthful and delicate daughter of the Marquis of P., Rachel Zoyland.
• John Crow, a young man from Norfolk who is coming to Glastonbury in the opening scene of the novel. He eventually marries his cousin Mary Crow and works for John Geard. A skeptic and cynic himself, he sees his work for Geard as a way of debasing and mocking the very Grail-worship he is supposed to promote.
• Philip Crow, a cousin to John and an industrialist. He is widely-hated by the citizens of the town for his attempt to industrialise it. He too hates the Grail legend, and seeks to unseat Geard.
• Tom Barter, a childhood friend of John Crow. He initially works for Philip Crow but leaves to join John Geard. He is a somewhat depressed womaniser who carries a flame for Mary Crow but marries Tossie Stickles after she becomes pregnant.
• Owen Evans, a Welsh mystic and antiquarian and a friend of John Crow. He has strong urges toward violence and sadism, and is often tempted by an anonymous book in his keep. He is often considered to be a semi-autobiographical character, as Powys mentioned having similar traits.
• Mat Dekker, the town vicar. He is also wary of Geard's new religion and is also described as being an enemy of the anthropomorphised sun.
• Sam Dekker, the vicar's son. He carries an on-and-off affair with Nell Zoyland, wife of Will Zoyland, and goes through several spiritual conversions during the course of the novel.
• Persephone Spear, wife of Communist leader Dave Spear and longtime mistress to Philip Crow.