# Sir Charles Baskerville — The Hound of the Baskervilles character guide

> Sir Charles Baskerville in The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Sir Charles, poor Sir Charles, old Sir Charles, the late Sir Charles Baskerville

**First appearance:** 0003-ii-the-curse-of-the-baskervilles

## Snapshot

The late master of Baskerville Hall, whose terrified death beside the moor gate turns a family legend into a case.

## Who they are

Sir Charles was the wealthy, well-liked squire whose body was found on the yew alley, his face frozen in a look of horror no doctor could explain. He had been nervous, waiting alone at night, and his heart — already weak — gave out under something the coroner could not name. His death is the wound the novel opens on: it gives Dr. Mortimer his errand, Holmes his puzzle, and the hound its first confirmed victim.

## Relationships

### [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sherlock_holmes)

_professional_

Holmes investigates the death of Sir Charles, piecing together the circumstances from reports and evidence.

### [Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_henry_baskerville)

_family_

Sir Charles was the uncle of Sir Henry, and his death leads to Henry inheriting the Baskerville estate.

### [Dr. James Mortimer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/dr_james_mortimer)

_friendship_

Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death.

### [Miss Stapleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/miss_stapleton)

_psychological_

Miss Stapleton was used by her brother to lure Sir Charles to his death on the moor, acting as a decoy.

### [Mrs. Barrymore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/mrs_barrymore)

_professional_

Mrs. Barrymore served Sir Charles as housekeeper, and her husband was his butler, both loyal to the family.

### [Mr. Stapleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/mr_stapleton)

_rivalry_

Stapleton, as a secret Baskerville relative, engineered Sir Charles's death to clear his path to the inheritance.

### [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sherlock_holmes)

_professional_

Holmes investigates the death of Sir Charles, piecing together the circumstances from reports and evidence.

### [Dr. James Mortimer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/dr_james_mortimer)

_friendship_

Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death.

### [Miss Stapleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/miss_stapleton)

_psychological_

Miss Stapleton was used by her brother to lure Sir Charles to his death on the moor, acting as a decoy.

### [Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_henry_baskerville)

_family_

Sir Charles was the uncle of Sir Henry, and his death leads to Henry inheriting the Baskerville estate.

### [Mr. Stapleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/mr_stapleton)

_rivalry_

Stapleton, as a secret Baskerville relative, engineered Sir Charles's death to clear his path to the inheritance.

### [Dr. James Mortimer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/dr_james_mortimer)

_friendship_

Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death.

## In the story

### [The Hound of the Baskervilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles)

Recently deceased; his death under mysterious circumstances prompts the investigation.

### [The Curse of the Baskervilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/ii-the-curse-of-the-baskervilles)

Deceased; his fears of the family curse and his sudden death are central to the discussion.

### [III: The Problem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/iii-the-problem)

Deceased; his death and the circumstances surrounding it are discussed in detail.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_charles_baskerville
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters