elfride swancourt a young lady

christopher swancourt a clergyman

stephen smith an architect

henry knight a reviewer and essayist

charlotte troyton a rich widow

gertrude jethway a poor widow

spenser hugo luxellian a peer

lady luxellian his wife

mary and kate two little girls

william worm a dazed factotum

john smith a master-mason

jane smith his wife

martin cannister a sexton

unity a maid-servant

other servants, masons, labourers, grooms, nondescripts, etc., etc.

the scene

mostly on the outskirts of lower wessex.