# Durdles — The Mystery of Edwin Drood character guide

> Durdles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Stony Durdles, Stony, The Stony One, Mr. Durdles

**First appearance:** 0004-v-mr-durdles-and-friend

## Snapshot

The stonemason who knows every tomb in Cloisterham's crypt, a drink-soaked ghoul of the graveyard whom Jasper hires to guide him through the cathedral's darkest corners.

## Who they are

Durdles is Cloisterham's chartered libertine of the burial ground, a stonemason and tomb-maker so steeped in graves that he seems half-dead himself. He drinks to keep his spirits up — both kinds — and lets a ragged boy pelt him home with stones for a penny when he lingers too late. His intimate knowledge of the crypt and his moonlit expeditions with Jasper make him a crucial, unsettling witness to the novel's darkest movements.

## Relationships

### [John Jasper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/characters/john_jasper)

_professional_

Durdles, the stonemason, works for Jasper and is used by him for access to the crypt and knowledge of the cathedral's secrets.

### [John Jasper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/characters/john_jasper)

_professional_

Durdles, the stonemason, works for Jasper and is used by him for access to the crypt and knowledge of the cathedral's secrets.

### [John Jasper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/characters/john_jasper)

_professional_

Durdles, the stonemason, works for Jasper and is used by him for access to the crypt and knowledge of the cathedral's secrets.

## In the story

### [Mr. Sapsea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/chapters/iv-mr-sapsea)

The stonemason who arrives to discuss the monument key but leaves offended after Jasper's questions about his nickname.

### [Mr. Durdles and Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/chapters/v-mr-durdles-and-friend)

The stony one, meditating among his works, explains his arrangement with Deputy and demonstrates his method of finding buried bodies.

### [A Night with Durdles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/chapters/xii-a-night-with-durdles)

The taciturn stonemason becomes talkative under the influence of Jasper's bottle. He shares a personal ghost story and later falls asleep in the tower, waking to find his key misplaced. He defends Deputy from Jasper's wrath.

### [A Settler in Cloisterham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/chapters/xviii-a-settler-in-cloisterham)

The stonemason, encountered by Datchery and Sapsea; gruff and disrespectful toward the Mayor.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/characters/durdles
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_mystery_of_edwin_drood_se/characters