# Mr. Sharnall — The Nebuly Coat character guide > Mr. Sharnall in The Nebuly Coat by John Meade Falkner. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. John Sharnall, John Sharnall, Sharnall, old Sharnall **First appearance:** 0001-i ## Snapshot The minster organist, a restless, sharp-tongued man who walks by the river and knows more of Cullerne's buried history than he lets on. ## Who they are Sharnall holds the organ loft at Cullerne Minster, a position that gives him both a public role and a private vantage on the town's secrets. He is troubled, proud, and given to solitary walks, and his knowledge of the church's fabric and its families makes him a natural keeper of inconvenient facts. His unease around the Blandamer name and the minster's decay gives the early mystery its nervous, watchful tone. ## Relationships ### [Lord Blandamer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/lord_blandamer) _rivalry_ Lord Blandamer and Sharnall are antagonists, with Sharnall suspecting Blandamer of dark intentions regarding the church. ### [Bishop of Carisbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/bishop_of_carisbury) _professional_ The Bishop is Sharnall's ecclesiastical superior, overseeing his work at the church with formal authority. ### [Martin Joliffe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/martin_joliffe) _social_ Martin and Sharnall have occasional conversations, with Sharnall showing a paternal interest in the young man. ### [Mr. Rector](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/mr_rector) _professional_ The Rector and Sharnall are colleagues in the church, with the Rector often mediating tensions. ### [Lord Blandamer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/lord_blandamer) _rivalry_ Lord Blandamer and Sharnall are antagonists, with Sharnall suspecting Blandamer of dark intentions regarding the church. ### [Mr. Rector](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/mr_rector) _professional_ The Rector and Sharnall are colleagues in the church, with the Rector often mediating tensions. ### [Martin Joliffe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/martin_joliffe) _social_ Martin and Sharnall have occasional conversations, with Sharnall showing a paternal interest in the young man. ### [Mr. Rector](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/mr_rector) _professional_ The Rector and Sharnall are colleagues in the church, with the Rector often mediating tensions. ### [Bishop of Carisbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/bishop_of_carisbury) _professional_ The Bishop is Sharnall's ecclesiastical superior, overseeing his work at the church with formal authority. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/i) The organist criticizes the Blandamers for not funding restoration and expresses bitterness about their neglect. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/ii) The organist, a heavy drinker, tells Westray the story of Martin Joliffe and the nebuly coat over brandy. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/iii) Sharnall is impatient and irritable during the violin lesson, making a crude joke about Westray and Anastasia. He later apologizes but reveals his own ill health and temper. ### [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/v) Visits Westray's room, discusses Miss Joliffe's conflict over selling the picture, and offers cynical commentary on family loyalty and memory. ### [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/vi) The organist plays the service and later performs a fugue as a tribute to the unknown tenor. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/viii) Bitterly criticizes Lord Blandamer, recounting a past incident where Blandamer stopped a cheque; observes Anastasia's distress. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/ix) Receives the news of Blandamer's offer with feigned indifference. ### [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/x) Apologizes to Westray for his outburst; reveals Blandamer's visit and tea-drinking; conflicted about accepting Blandamer's organ repair offer; proposes buying Miss Joliffe's picture. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xi) Is visited by the Bishop of Carisbury and becomes secretive about Martin Joliffe's papers. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xii) Plays his service in D flat in the organ-loft; is hurt when Westray leaves without comment, but later dismisses his own work as 'poor stuff'. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xiv) Missing throughout the chapter; found dead in the organ loft with his head on the pedal-note. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xv) Mentioned as having hinted to Westray about something going on before his death. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xvi) Mentioned in Anastasia's thoughts as someone who would qualify her estimate of her musical abilities. ### [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xx) Recalled as having insisted Westray keep the picture; his death is now linked to the secret Westray uncovers. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xxi) Mentioned as a meddlesome organist who took up Martin's role and is now dead. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/chapters/xxiii) Not directly mentioned in this chapter. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters/mr_sharnall - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nebuly_coat_se/characters