# Archibald Craven — The Secret Garden character guide > Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mr. Archibald Craven, Mr. Craven, Craven, Master Craven, Archie, Mester Craven **First appearance:** 0001-ii-mistress-mary-quite-contrary ## Snapshot Misselthwaite's master, a hunchbacked widower who has locked his grief in a hundred shuttered rooms and wanders Europe trying to outwalk it. ## Who they are He owns the manor and everything in it, yet keeps himself a stranger to his own house, forbidding the closed garden and the sickly son who reminds him of the wife he lost. In an Austrian valley he feels something quietly unbound in him, only to open the doors to his dark thoughts again by the next night. His slow thaw matters because the children's secret flourishing depends on whether he can ever come home. ## Relationships ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _family_ Archibald is Colin's grief-stricken father who avoids him until the garden's magic reunites them. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _family_ Archibald is Mary's uncle and guardian, initially distant but grateful for her positive influence on Colin. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Mrs. Medlock is Archibald's loyal housekeeper, managing the manor and his son's care under his distracted authority. ### [Dickon Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby) _social_ Archibald briefly meets Dickon and is impressed by his wholesome influence on Colin and Mary. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _family_ Archibald is Colin's grief-stricken father who avoids him until the garden's magic reunites them. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Mrs. Medlock is Archibald's loyal housekeeper, managing the manor and his son's care under his distracted authority. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _family_ Archibald is Mary's uncle and guardian, initially distant but grateful for her positive influence on Colin. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _family_ Archibald is Mary's uncle and guardian, initially distant but grateful for her positive influence on Colin. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _family_ Archibald is Colin's grief-stricken father who avoids him until the garden's magic reunites them. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Mrs. Medlock is Archibald's loyal housekeeper, managing the manor and his son's care under his distracted authority. ### [Dickon Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby) _social_ Archibald briefly meets Dickon and is impressed by his wholesome influence on Colin and Mary. ### [Dickon Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby) _social_ Archibald briefly meets Dickon and is impressed by his wholesome influence on Colin and Mary. ## In the story ### [Mistress Mary Quite Contrary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/ii-mistress-mary-quite-contrary) Mr. Craven is Mary's uncle, described as a reclusive hunchback who shuts himself away after the death of his wife. He is rarely seen and avoids people. ### [Across the Moor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/iii-across-the-moor) Mr. Craven is mentioned as not wanting to see Mary and leaving for London in the morning. ### [The Cry in the Corridor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/v-the-cry-in-the-corridor) His hatred of the garden is explained due to his wife's death; he orders that the garden not be discussed. ### [IX: The Strangest House Anyone Ever Lived In](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/ix-the-strangest-house-anyone-ever-lived-in) Mentioned as the owner of Misselthwaite Manor who would be angry if he discovered the secret garden's open door. ### [XII: “Might I Have a Bit of Earth?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xii-might-i-have-a-bit-of-earth) Mr. Craven returns to Misselthwaite and, prompted by Mrs. Sowerby, agrees to see Mary. He grants her permission to play outdoors and have a garden, then plans to leave again for a long trip. ### [XVI: “I Won’t!” Said Mary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xvi-i-won-t-said-mary) Mr. Craven sends Mary a box of books, games, and a writing case, showing his thoughtful side and desire to connect with her. ### [In the Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xxvii-in-the-garden) Returns to Misselthwaite after receiving a letter from Susan Sowerby and experiencing a dream; discovers Colin healthy in the garden. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/archibald_craven - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters