Tjele church / Tjele kirke and Tjele, Sønderlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Tjele Church, ab. 17 km northeast of Viborg
Tjele sogn, Sønderlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Tjele Church is placed close to Tjele Manor. From the original church stands only the nave, the western part of the longhouse, built in granite ashlars . Upon the west door is a carved male head. The thorough rebuilding and extension of the church happened most likely in 1573, when Erik Skram achieved royal allowance to re-use materials from St. Hans klosterkirke in Viborg. In the extension to the east is a crumbled male head in one of the re-used ashlars. The slender tower and the porch were built in the same period. The inside marks the connection to Tjele Manor. Upon the choir arch are 16 frescoe coat of arms for Erik Skram and his wife, and upon the north wall of the choir is a fine Renaissance head stone for Jørgen Skram and Hilleborg Daa.



The communion table is oak wood; inside was in 1939 found a reliquary ,where the old church accounts were kept. The altar piece is rather new, but the earlier altar piece is now in Nr. Vinge Church. The Romanesque granite font is the oldest artefact in the church - it comes from the demolished Foulum Church. The sounding board above the font with an inscription was given in 1578 by Jørgen Skram who also gave the altar candelabres. The pulpit, probably from 1578, has round-arched fields with the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Jørgen Skram and Hilleborg Daa. the same coat of arms are painted upon the upper pew gables. A church bell from 1495 is now at the National Museum. At the church yard dike by the manor are rests of an old driving gate and a small gate. At the driving-gate are two Romanesque head stones.

Tjele

Tjele, 17 km northeast of Viborg
Tjele sogn, Sønderlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Tjele was during queen Margrete I's ruling period a village main farm owned by the brothers Basse. Jep Eskildsen's son Eskild Jepsen (Basse of Tjele) is mentioned in 1418, when he negotiated with St. Marie Kloster in Viborg about some estate in Tjele; he was married to Else Svendsdatter Udsen, who after his death married Mogens Jensen Løvenbalk. With him the family Løvenbalk -who deduces their origin from a non-marital child of Christoffer II - came to Tjele. He was present in Viborg at the issue of Christoffer of Bayerns coronation charter, but was probably killed in the peasant revolt in 1441 - he was dead in 1450 when fru Else gave estate to Mariager Kloster and when her son of first marriage, Christiern Eskildsen confirmed the deed of gift. He became the last male in the family Basse since he died childless as a Johanitter monk (Knights hospitaller/Maltesian) in Viborg after 1478. Tjele was inherited by hr. Christiern's half brother Laurids Mogensen Løvenbalk who died in 1500, but whose three children Jørgen, Mogens and Maren probably all inherited a part of Tjele.



A bad fate often ruled at Tjele. It was burnt down by the peasants in the Skipper Clement's Feud but the thick walls defied the fire and the manor was restored. Jørgen Lauridsen is mentioned for the last time in 1531 and hr. Mogens Lauridsen Løvenbalk, (the Scotswoman Genete Cragengelt's husband) was dead in 1536, when Maren Lauridsdatter Løvenbalk and her husband Erik Skram (Fasti) of Hastrup (Nørvang herred ) took over Tjele. The Danish State Council would not acknowledge Genete Jacobsdatter Cragengelt's marriage to Mogens Lauridsen Løvenbalk, and she was driven out from Tjele as a frille (mistress) together with her two sons. Later one of her sons Knud Mogensen fought for her honour and had his parents' marriage acknowledged at the University of Copenhagen. But he never became the owner of his paternal home, since the claim was obsolete. And it was of no help for Genete Cragengelt either. She died a year before the acknowledgement - but her son Knud Mogensen achieved the rights to use his coat of arms (Løvenbalk) ,which he brought to his grave as the last male of the family. (see ab. Løvenbalk in blog: Medieval Danish Families)



Tjele is one of Denmark's national treasures. The main building is one of the oldest manors in the country. Marie Grubbe, the landlord's daughter from Tjele immortalized the old manor. Ludvig Holberg, Steen Steensen Blicher, H.C. Andersen and I.P.Jacobsen have all told the story about her life. Her sad fate was in reality an image of the degeneracy of the Danish nobility in the end of the 1600s. Marie's sister Anna inherited Tjele ater her father's death, but her fate wasn't much better than Marie's. She was married to the infamous witch hunter Jørgen Arenfelt of Rugård. He soon shut up his wife and surrounded himself with foreign mistresses. In 1698 Arenfelt had to give up Tjele to the not less dissipated ritmester (captain of horse) Gert Didrik von Levetzau who is still riding around in Tjele's dunghill with his rejected bride.

Tjele was open to the public until 1996, but today there is only public access to the exclusive restaurant "Marie Grubbe".

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Tjele (*1392 Tyell, 1418 Thælæ, 1428 Thyæle); Foulum (* 1440 Foulum, 1447 Føvlom); Formyre (1664 Formyre); Rise (* 1392 Thyelriies, 1664 Riise); Tjele Møllegård (1683 Thielle-, Tiel-, Tille Mølle); Flarupgård (*1463 Florup(p)); Vester Tjele (1664 Wester Thielle).

Northwest of Foulum in a moor at Tjele Aa (river), almost at the farm Sønderup in Vammen parish, is a flattened motte, named Gotrik's Høj (hill). There are no building traces in the earth, but northwest of the motte are some oak poles from a bridge leading to the higher land in Vammen sogn (parish) where the borganlæg (castle plan) originally must have been.
Tjele and area is the scenery in Steen Steensen Blicher's novel "En landsbydegns dagbog " (The Diary of a Parish Clerk).

Listed prehistorics: 3 long dolmens, best preserved is the 40 m long Gøngeovn in Sønderhede plantage, it has two chambers, one with a cover stone; the two others, at Flarupgård, are very disturbed. Furthermore a hill with a stone chamber at Tjele Hedegård and 7 hills, of which several are rather large: Bavnehøj south of Foulum, two hills in Gammelbylund and the very broad, flat Risehøj, the last in a group of 4.
Demolished or destroyed: 37 hills.

Source: Danske slotte og herregårde, Midtjylland, bd. 13; Trap Danmark Viborg amt;
Politikens bog om Danmarks slotte og herregårde; Per Eilstrup, Kay Nielsen og Holger Rasmussen: Vore gamle herregårde. Jytte Ortmann: Slotte og herregårde i Danmark


photo Tjele kirke & Tjele 2002: grethe bachmann

Testrup Church, Himmerland, Viborg amt.

Testrup Church, ab. 22 km northwest of Hobro.
Testrup sogn, Rinds herred, Viborg amt.

The strange church, consecrated to St. Catharina and St. Severinus, is placed close to Testrupgård. It consists of apse and an undivided nave, which are the remains of a large Gothic brick-building from the 1400s with a flat ceiling in apse and in choir, a vaulted nave with probably vaulted crossarms and a tower to the west. This building was reduced immensely in 1748 , today is left only the choir with the apse and the eastern cross vaulted section of the nave. Foundations of the demolished building are traceable at the church yard. The bricked-up arcades of the cross-arms are clearly seen in the walls.

The altar piece from ab. 1700 with out-sawed ornaments and an original painting, repaired in 1925. Baluster-shaped Baroque candelabres, given in 1720 by C.Sørensen. Granitfont from 1934. The old font was only a wooden table. South German bowl ab. 1575. Pulpit in Renaissance, 1615. The upper pews with carved Baroque-decorations are from 1721. A church bell from Testrup was in 1567 given by king Fr. II to Viborg Domkirke, which had lost its bells in a fire. Church ship, skoleskibet "Danmark" from 1958. At the church yard nine similar gravestones, eight from the 1700s and one from 1809, for members of the family Testrup.

ruins at the church

Testrupgård
Testrup sogn, Rinds herred, Viborg amt.

Testrupgård was probably originally a farm of the nobility. Later it came to Viborg bishopric, and in 1432 bishop Herman established a hospital which bishop Torlav ab. 1439 inaugurated to St. Karen; somtimes it it als called St. Søren in Testrup. The principal of the hospital was also priest for Testrup church and Gislum parish; the office was in 1511-35 occupied by Chr. Nielsen, Villads, mester Chr. Puszel, Jørgen Ebbesen, Erik Høeg (Banner) (1528) and Ib Lauridsen. In 1503 lived Niels Juel, Thomas Skadeland and Ebbe Simonsen (Udsen) here, in 1532 Niels Juel's widow Marine Nielsdatter. According to Farstrup and Axelsens diary the priests resided in Testrupgård until 1570. After the reformation the farm came to the Crown, but was still a hospital for a period. In 1542 Svend Juel had it in return for taking care of the poor sick people and give them a good room, bed linen etc. In 1545 Chr. III gave T. to the hospital in Viborg. Later sold again, owners: Colding, Londemann, Rosencrone, Fønss etc.


church yard and ruins of hospital

In the garden east of Testrupgård's main building is the ruin of a house ( ab. 6 x 13 m) with about 1, 60 m high walls in granite boulder and red monk bricks. A door-opening and traces of windows are kept. The building is probably remains of the hospital, which were west of the church, where still in the 1700s were rests of walls.

Kastrup was in 1470 and 1500 occupied by Laurids Skadeland, in 1503 the son Thomas Skadeland, in 1505 his brother Jørgen Skadeland, later Pors Nielsen (Børialsen), 1595 his son Niels Pors (Børialsen). His son Jørgen Pors (Børialsen) is said to have left K. caused by lack of money. In 1579 the Crown exchanged its right in K. to Henrik Gyldenstierne, whose son Knud Gyldenstierne 1597 sold it to Ludvig Munk (Lange) of Nørlund, his widow Ellen Marsvin sold it in 1637 to hr. Mogens Kaas (Sparre-K.), but in 1624 it is mentioned in a chancellery-letter as exchanged to fru Maren in Morum, probably Maren Sørensdatter Munk, but later it was a fæstegård(rented) under Nøragergård. In the 1800s it was owned by Poul Kastrup. Later owners Kastrup, Boel, Faber etc. Later outparcelling.

Vesterris was owned by væbner Nis Jensen in 1456 and 1462. In 1524 and 1561 is Bertel Andersen Hørby written to V., then his son Laurids Hørby in 1580, and in 1594 Laurids' daughter Karine. The same year is also Peder Munk (Vinranke-M.) written to V., he had married Laurids Hørby's widow Anne Skade; and their son Niels Munk inherited the farm, which also his father-in-law Jørgen Harbou wrote himself to.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Testrup (*1436 or *1439 Testrup, 1477 Thelstrop, 1503 Testrop); Kyneb Huse (1683 Kyneb Husze); Vesterris (1445 Wæsterriis); Kastrupgård (1470 Kaasdrop); Testrupgård (1542 Thestrup Gaard).
A sacred well, St. Søren's well, was in a valley southwest of the church.

Listed prehistorics: a dolmen chamber and 27 hills; close to the southeast border of parish is the group Trehøje and in Vesterris plantage is a larger hill group with Rishøj as the largest. Demolished or destroyed: 25 hills. Upon a flat field southwest of Testrup is under a stone dolmen found a house urn and two other urns from late Bronze Age. In Fladhøj is in a large stone chamber found a grave from early Bronze Age, with sword, dagger, rests of clothes etc. In a moor at Vesterris was found a troldmandspose (a magician's sachet), a leather sachet with strange little things.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo Testrup kirke/Testrupgård 2003: grethe bachmann

Sdr. Vinge Church & Ulstrup Slot, Mid Jutland, Viborg amt.

Sønder Vinge church, ab. 18 km southwest of Randers
Sønder Vinge sogn, Middelsom herred ,Viborg amt.

Romanesque relief with two lions and a cross

The high-placed church in Sønder Vinge has a Romanesque choir and nave in granite ashlars, a large addition to the north and a porch at the west gable. In the north wall is above the plinth a Romanesque relief, two lions and a cross. A Romanesque window is preserved in the east wall of the choir. The northern addition with a hip roof is like the porch built in the end of the 1700s in granite ashlars; it is said that they were from the demolished church in Torup in 1777. In the south wall of the porch is placed two Romanesque window cover stones. Upon the west gable of the nave is a rytterspir (spire: see photo); the walls of the church are restored and partly rebuilt in 1872. Inside are beamed ceilings and the choir arch is preserved with heavy Romanesque kragsten.

The altar piece is an inscription-field in a Baroque frame and like the pulpit from the middle of the 1700s. Upon a newer organ gallery in the west end of the nave is placed the coat of arms of the family Scheel. A large Romanesque granite font with a smooth basin.

A runestone which was found as a corner stone in the church wall is now in the porch, it is a large stone, with inscription: -- rejste denne sten efter sine to brødre Urøke og Kade--sårede og øvede sejd. En "ræte" den mand som øder dette minde. ( put up this stone after his two brothers Urøde and Kade -- wounded and made magic. The man who destroys this memory will become a "ræte".) The excact mening of the word ræte is not known, but it was a warning, and the same warning words are written at the famous Glavendrup sten.

Ulstrup Slot


Ulstrup Slot, Sønder Vinge sogn, Middelsom herred,
Viborg amt.

Ulstrup belonged in the end of the 1300s to Jens Brandsen, then his children Mette and Jens Brandsen, who pawned and in 1404 sold it to hr. Niels Jensen (Løvenbalk) of Aunsbjerg, who in 1406 sold it to queen Margrethe. In 1579 the Crown exchanged Ulstrup (then a village of 3 farms) to rigsråd Christen Skeel of Hegnet, he founded the main farm/manor Ulstrup, which at his death in 1595 together with Hegnet came to the youngest son rigsmarsk Jørgen Skeel(+ 1665), then to his widow Jytte Brok (+ 1640), the son gehejmeråd Christen Skeel(+ 1688), his son kammerjunker Jørgen Skeel(+ 1695), his widow Benedicte Margrethe von Brockdorff (+ 1793), her son colonel, kammerherre Christen Skeel (+ 1731), his widow Augusta von Winterfeldt (+ 1740) and their son gehejmeråd grev Jørgen Scheel (+ 1786). Various owners: Scheel, de Bourienne, Koch, Mourier-Pedersen, Knuth etc.



The main building is listed in class A. Ulstrup's portal is one of Denmark's most magnifique sandstone portals. Today is is replaced by a cement cast, the original portal is kept in the cellar at Ulstrup. Scheel's coat of arms with two lions and an inscription tablet with the year 1617 is flanked by the coat of arms of his two wives. The portal was made by the stone mason Claus Lauritzen who at the same time worked as hofkunstner (worked for the royal house) at Koldinghus. The Ulstrup-portal is flanked by two warriors, who according to tradition are the evil grev Gert in Asian clothes and the hero Niels Ebbesen in European clothes. But they are actually two Roman war heroes, who symbollically with sword and spear defend the entrance to Ulstrup in a time where the fortifications of the manors were replaced by the splendour of the Renaissance.


Ulstrup, landscape, December

Names in the Middle Ages: Vinge (1349 Wingy, * 1491 Synder Winge); Ulstrup (* 1401 Vlstrup, 1404 Wlstrop).

In the parish was a village Vingetorp (1449 Wingæthorp). Furthermore the farms Højlund (1532 Høffwelundh), Røngeholm (1664 Røngiholmb) or Holmshus (1683 Holms Huus) and Vingegård (1594 Vingegaard).

Listed prehistorics: 3 small hills in Ulstrup skov.
Demolished or destroyed: 6 hills.

Besides the runestone in Sdr. Vinge Church is another runestone ("Grøndalsstenen"), which was found at Ulstrup mark. It is the earliest mentioned runestone and a legend is connected to it. It is now placed upon a lawn south of the main building. The inscription is: -- rejste -- efter sine "skippere" Thire og Thue. (-- raised/put up -- after his "captains" Thire and Thue. )

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962, Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks slotte og herregårde, 1998.


photo Sdr. Vinge/Ulstrup 2006: grethe bachmann

Sjørslev Church and Aunsbjerg Manor, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt.

Sjørslev Church, ab. 12 km south of Viborg
Sjørslev sogn, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt.

Steen Steensen's grave hill in the church yard

Sjørslev Church has a Romanesque choir and nave and a western tower from ab. 1500-1550, but the church is marked outside and inside by rebuilding in 1768-72. Both doors were probably formed as pillar portals - they were destroyed in 1768 and together with other ashlar material re-used as a foot upon Steen Steensen's burial mound northwest of the church. Here are monolite coverstones and ashlars from at least three windows and bases from the door with pearl-rows, akantus leaves etc. The choir has an octagonal vault. In 1768-72 the eastern, western and southern wall was rebuilt with small bricks and the tower got a curved spire with a weather vane, and its bottom floor was furnished as a porch with a western entrance. The tower is built in granite and monkbricks and has a cross vault contemporary with the walls and a round arcade to the nave. On the west side of the choir a profiled wooden beading with rocaillekartouche, the year 1772 and a biblical inscription.

After 1915, when Peter de Neergård took over Aunsbjerg, the choir and nave got new red-tiled roofs, wooden windows and an inside repair. The frescoes from 1550 are restored Renaissance ornaments in rather strong colours - and around the windows are frescoe Rococo frames from 1768-72. Gothich frescoes are below the present frescoes on the choir vault. The nave with a medieval storey-work got a board ceiling and is in four large sections with coat of arms and gilt initials SS MES and the year 1768 in the middle. The ceiling is in blue, red and white colours.

The pretty inventory is marked by Rococo and Classicism. The earliest inventory is the Romanesque granite font , one of the main works among "the Lion Fonts". A choir crucifix is from ab. 1475. Or else the inventory is Rococo and Renaissance. The stools are partly Renaissance and Rococo . The pulpit is Rococo. From a Gothic pew-set from Karup Church are preserved some gables. A large fine bronze chandelier. A klingpung (small purse or bag placed upon a long stick, used for collection ) given 1706 by Samuel Olufssøn. Two iron cast wooden money boxes from ab. 1775.

Upon the church yard was in 1938 built a chapel inspired by an oriental mosque.

Source: Trap Danmark , Viborg amt, 1962.
photo Sjørslev kirke 2006: grethe bachmann.

Aunsbjerg Herregård/Manor


Aunsbjerg, 12 km south of Viborg
Sjørslev sogn, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt.

Information from "Danske slotte og herregårde":
Aunsbjerg is an old farm/manor, first mentioned in king Oluf's time, when it belonged to Niels Eriksen of the family which took the name Løvenbalk after its family-coat of arms. (A blue lion above golden beams) The family Løvenbalk owned Aunsbjerg for more than 150 years. The family was said to be of royal blood, descending from Christoffer II and a lady of the Lunge-family, and the blue lion in the coat of arms suggests that it might be the truth. This seems probable since Niels Eriksens father was named Erik Christoffersen - he was the owner of Aunsbjerg in 1340.

Niels Eriksen had with his wife Sophie Johansdatter Rantzau only one child, a son hr. Jens Nielsen Løvenbalk, who became the next owner of the Aunsbjerg. He was landsdommer (High court judge) in Nørrejylland and rigsråd , mostly known for his killing Jens Jensen Brock of Clausholm. He died very old ab. 1438 and left a large family, of whom one son was the ancestor of the Løvenbalk-family at Tjele, another was Erik Jensen Løvenbalk who was the owner of Aunsbjerg, which later belonged to his two sons, Peder, who died early, and hr. Erik Eriksen Løvenbalk, who later became sole owner of Aunsbjerg and still was alive at the end of the 1400s, but died soon after. (Note: One of Jens Nielsen Løvenbalk's daughters Marine Jensdatter Løvenbalk was married to Jens Kaas of Kaas.)


at Aunsbjerg

The family's economic deroute began with Erik Eriksen Løvenbalk. He had from time to time pawned a big part of his estate to Niels Clementsen and after his death his son Gert Eriksen and four daughters continued these mortgages, which gradually became sheets. In the years 1509-12 Gert Eriksen Løvenbalk and his two sisters Sophie and Pernille had two thirds of Aunsbjerg handed over with much adjoining land, but the last third came from the other two daughters to hr. Predbjørn Podebusk of Vosborg.

Aunsbjerg was split in several inheritances after 1609. One of the owners in the middle of the 1500s was Mogens Gjøe, who build the pretty half-timbered main building upon a medieval motte. The name of the manor is known as a part of Danish literary history thanks to Steen Steensen Blicher's novel "Skytten på Aunsbjerg" ( The Gamekeeper at Aunsbjerg). Blicher was named after his uncle Steen Steensen who in 1752 inherited Aunsbjerg after his father. He was ennobled with the name de Steensen. When he was a child Blicher often stayed at Aunsbjerg where his aunt taught him that his "will was in her pocket". Aunsbjerg was in 1838 sold to Peter C. Neergård.

The main building - where the old wing is listed in class B - is placed upon a big motte; the old moats are partly preserved. The big cross house was probably a three storey building, but was reduced in the beginning of the 1800s by the godsslagteren (the manor slaughter) Lindahl. The north wing is built 1917-18. In the dining hall is a fireplace with the coat of arms of Peder Marsvin and Mette Brahe.

Source:
Danske slotte og heregårde, Midtjylland, bd. 13; Trap Danmark, Viborg amt;
Jytte Ortmann: Slotte og herregårde i Danmark; Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks slotte og herregårde, 1998.


at Aunsbjerg

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Sjørslev (* 1430 Siørsløff, 1498 Sørsleff); Demstrup (* 1429, 1499 Demstrup); ØsterVandet (* 1477 Østeruandett); Mellem Vandet (1683 Middel Wandet, Mellom Wandit); Vester Vandet (1498 Vanneth, * 1512 Westerwandett); Aunsbjerg ( * 1377 Awænsberg, 1396 Awendsberg); Humle vandmølle (* 1425 Homelmølle).

In the parish was a village Skovstrup (*1329 Skoustrop marck) which was abandoned in the 1500s. The land came under Aunsbjerg. North of Demstrup was a farm Kistrup (* 1511 Kiistrup). Furthermorer is in the parish mentioned the farm Lille Medelhede (* 1496 Medelby,
* 1543 Lidell Melhede) and the house Graverhus (1683 Grafver Huus March ).

Listed prehistorics: 10 hills, of which Egenhøj at VesterVandet is rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 85 hills, mainly in the northern part of the parish, and at several places large groups, like at Brødløsgård north of Sjørslev and northwest of Demstrup.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo Aunsbjerg/Sjørslev 2006/2008: grethe bachmann

Sinding church / Sinding kirke, Hids herred, Viborg amt

Sinding Church, ab. 10 km northwest of Silkeborg
Sinding sogn, Hids herred, Viborg amt.

The church is situated in the middle of Sinding village; it has a Romanesque choir and nave, a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch to the south. Choir and nave are in granite ashlars, and from original details are preserved the choir arch with kragbånd, the east and north window of the choir, which are bricked-up and both portals of the nave. The southern is straight-edged and with a monolit cover stone, while the north portal (now bricked -up) is decorated with free pillars with irregular cubic capitals and a thympanum with three engraved crosses. One of these crosses is T-shaped, which is unusual in Romanesque art, and it is in this case probably due to that the thympanum of the portal was too large when delivered from the workshop; the upper section of the cross thus disappeared in the carving. At the east side of the portal is a figure in high relief, a crowned Christ with outstretched arms upon a cross-shaped ashlar, below Christ are to small men with keys, probably churchwardens.




In the choir was in the end of the Middle Ages built an octagonal rib-vault upon brick-pillars. The white-washed tower has broad point-arched glamhuller (sound-openings for the bell) is built in monk bricks above re-used granite-ashlars from the west gable of the nave, inside especially in raw field-stones. A free stairway to the north to a door in the middle storey. The tower room with an original cross-vault opens to the nave in a broad, round-arched arcade. The small white-washed porch is in monk bricks above granite ashlars.

The communion table with carved panel from 1936. The altar piece in rural renæssance from the beginning of the 1600s; in the large field is a plaster-copy of Thorvaldsen's Christ. Late Gothic altar candelabres with foot-lions. A Romanesque granite font with arcades upon the basin. A baptismal bowl south German from ab. 1550 , given in 1682 by Key Powisk. Pulpit in renæssance 1589 and the names hr. Michel, Peder Andersen and Las Sneicker; newer sounding-board. Pews from the end of 1800s. Upon the wall of the nave is a copy of Joakim Skovgård's painting of "Det store Gæstebud" in Viborg Domkirke's southern cross arm. Bell from 1850. A medieval thurible from the church was in 1905 deposited at Århus Museum. At the National Museum is a trefoil-shaped salvegemme (ointment-jar) from the Middle Ages, found when digging the church yard.

Names in the Middle Ages: Sinding ( *1215-24 Sinning)

At Småbjerge was a sacred well.

The name "Biskov" is connected to Skovgård's house site where was found rests of foundations. According to Jyske folkeminder VI 76 it was named Bispetorp. (might have been a bishop's farm once).

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 9 hills in the eastern and southeastern section.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo Sinding kirke April 2008: grethe bachmann

Simested church / Sinding kirke, Rinds herred, Viborg amt.

Simested Church in Simested village, ab. 18 km northwest of Hobro.
Simested sogn, Rinds herred, Viborg amt.

The church in Simested has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from 1884 to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars. Both doors are preserved, the north door is in use, the south door bricked-up. The south door is covered by a stone beam with a small greek cross under a chevron-pattern. One original window is preserved in the north wall of the choir. In the late Gothic period was added a tower to the west with a cross-vaulted bottom room with a pointed tower arch. A free stairway on the north side leads up to the middle storey. At the same time was built an octagonal cross vault in the choir, and the choir arch was probably extended, but with the use of the old kragsten. The nave has a beamed ceiling. Caused by decay the building has had several repairs.

Altar piece from 1883 with painting from 1722. Romanesque granite font with a smooth basin. Pulpit from 1884 with Evangelist-paintings. Church bell by master Petrus de Randrusia ab. 1440. At the churchyard north of the choir a Romanesque gravestone with relief of a processions-cross.

Simested Å

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Simested ( *1495 Semestedt, 1501 Simistet, Simestet); Torup (*1396 Todrup, Totrup, 1466 Tharupp, 1477 Thorop); Hverrestrup (1477 Viriestrop, 1478 Hværæstrvp); Eveldrup (1477 Evelstrvp, 1524 Eebelstrvp, 1546 Ebbildrvp); Guldager (*1470 Gulagger, 1483 Gulagher, 1499 Guldager); Båndrup (1524 Barndrop, Bandrvp); Skedshale(*1454 Skiedshale); Korsø (*1472 Korsberg, Kores, 1524 Kaarszøø); Dalsgård Huse (1524 Dalsgardt); Korsøgård (1664 Korszøegaard); Bjergegård (*1512 Biergraff, Bierge gard.)

Rigsråd Mogens Jensen (Gyrstinge) bought Korsøgård shortly before his death ab. 1447. It was inherited by the son rigsråd Oluf Mortensen (Gyrstinge), whose daughter Anne brought the farm to her husband Peder Skram (Fasti)(+ ab. 1540). Then to their son Erik Skram (Fasti)( + 1568), but Christen Grøn lived there in 1543. Already in 1563 Laurids Eriksen Skram (Fasti)( + 1587) owned K., which by his daughter Maren, widow after Jakob Hardenberg, in 1624 was left to the sister's daughter's children Oluf and Lisbeth Daa, m. to Jakob Ulfeldt, who in 1634 sold it to hr. Mogens Kaas (Sparre-K.)( + 1656). His son Erik Kaas owned it in 1663, and lost it in 1666, when Christen Olufsen in Viborg had it by law. In 1681 it was sold to Peter Benzon of Havnø( + 1701.) Several owners: Benzon, Friis, Lund, Rantzau etc. The main building was totally rebuilt in 1911, while the old farm buildings in granite boulders from 1870 still stand.

Where the Viborg-Ålborg road passes Simested Å, was a vaulted medieval stone-bridge, similar to Løvel. Remains were found in 1900.

Listed prehistorics: 2 longdolmens, one dolmen chamber, 2 longhills, one 75 m long, and 88 hills; from those are 37 upon the long hillside Hverrestrup bakker; one of these is the large Bavnehøj, and here is also the dolmen chamber.
Demolished or destroyed: One long dolmen and 122 hills. - In Langemosen ( a moor) at Hverrestrup was found an important sacrifice finding from late Bronze Age: hængekar ( jewelry for the belt), necklace, 3 bracelets. An Iron Age settlement is known north of Torup.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo Simested April 2009: grethe bachmann

Selde church, /Selde kirke, Nørre herred, Viborg amt

Selde Church, ab. 25 km north of Skive
Selde sogn, Nørre herred, Viborg amt.

interior

Romanesque font

Brass badges from coffins with coats of arms for the families at the manor Kjeldgaard.

Not far from Limfjorden lies Selde church upon a hill in the eastern part of Selde village. The village road is close to the ferry station to the island Fur. The church has Romanesque choir and nave and two cross armed chapels, one to the north in ashlars and monk bricks from the 1500s, and one to the south in ashlars and small bricks from ab. the 1600s,which is a burial chapel for Jørgen Rosenkrantz of Kjeldgård and later used by Bernt Due and his family. The late Gothic tower to the west has a pyramid roof and a spire. It now functions as a front hall with a vaulted room, opening in a round arch to the nave. This room was once a burial chapel for the family Stjernholm at Kjeldgård. The church was repaired in 1869 and the present cast iron windows date from this time. A big part of the inventory dates from this renovation too.

The choir and nave have beamed ceilings, and in both cross arms are octagonal ribbed vaults. The altar piece is a large painting by the Danish 'Guldaldermaler' Constantin Hansen. The altar chalice is from 1647 with coat of arms of Jørgen Rosenkrantz and fru Christence Juel. The pulpit is from 1869. The most remarkable piece in the church is the Romanesque baptismal granite font, which upon the foot has a runic inscription where only the name 'Gudliv' gives a certain interpretation. A very simple font, which was earlier placed in the manor Kjeldgaard's garden, is now placed in the tower room. The church bell is from the 1400s and has many imprints of coins. Two figures upon the wall of the nave and a circular painting upon copper come from a big sandstone epitaph.


Close to Selde Church and village is Selde Vig where the ferry sails to the island Fur.
Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Selde (* 1300s Sellde, 1481 Seld); Flovtrup (1498 Flotrvp); Kjeldgård (1524 Kieldgardt); Vester Møjbæk (* 1440 Modobeck, Modbech, 1556 Mobek, 1610 Moedbek); Eskov (1610 Esschouff).
Upon a hill at Kjeldgård's field named Lundhøj was once a church(Lund kirke) close to a well. If the granite font in Selde kirke might origin from here is uncertain.
Kjeldgård (Kildegård after a sacred well at the farm, which still gets water from here); it belonged in 1524 to hr. Ove Vincentsen Lunge (Dyre) of Tirsbæk (+ 1540), in 1578 to his daughter's son Ove Juel. After his death 1599 it came to his brother's son rigsråd and statholder in Norway Jens Juel(+ 1634), whose daughter Christence Juel brought it to her husband, hofmester at Sorø Jørgen Rosenkrantz, who in 1668 sold it to fru Dorte Daa (+ 1675), married to hr. Gregers Krabbe ; after her death it came to the son-in-law Bernt Due (+ 1699), whose son Manderup Due in 1704 got it in an exchange, but sold it in 1709. Various owners: Stiernholm, Hvas, Saabye, Trojel etc. The main building, which is surrounded by moats, was built in the end of the 1700s.
To the northeast of Kjeldgård's garden are some hollows and remains of wallwork, the last memories about how the farm still was placed in the 1700s. It had a high tower and spire. According to legend it was conquered in 1534 by Skipper Klement.
Listed prehistorics: 11 hills of which a pretty group of 6 hills at Branden, Sundshøjene; rather large is also Bavnehøj at Flovtrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 24 hills, and a longhill Stenshøj at Flovtrup, which possibly once was a longdolmen.
Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt. 1962.


photo Selde kirke April 2004: grethe bachmann

Rødding church / Rødding kirke and Spøttrup, Rødding herred, Viborg amt.

Rødding Church, ab. 18 km northwest of Skive
Rødding sogn, Rødding herred, Viborg amt.


The choir and the nave is Romanesque with a late Gothic tower and a porch and sacristy from the 1500s. The Romanesque building is in granite boulders and both doors are preserved. There is an original window in the eastern gable of the choir. The choir and the nave were barrel-vaulted in the Renaissance period. The late Gothic tower is built in re-used granite ashlars and monk bricks and has an octagonal cross-vault in the bottom room. The cross-arm in granite ashlars and monk bricks has a bricked-up flat curved door to the west. Inside has it an octagonal rib-vault, which opens to the nave in a round-arched arcade. The octagonal pyramid spire was first shingled, but now covered with aluminium after a lightning in 1961. The chapel was built in the end of the 1500s as a chapel for the family Below.

The granite altar piece is special. Its heavy plate rests upon four pillars of which one is shaped as a kneeling human figure. This is now in the National Museum together with a granite aspersorium. From another earlier altar piece is an ashlar with a reliquary walled on the eastern wall of the choir. An early Gothic side-altar figure, a very slim bishop saint from ab. 1300-1350, is placed behind the organ. Altar candelabres from 1695 with the names of Henrik Below and wife. A Romanesque granite font with profiled smooth basin and a south German baptismal bowl from 1575. The pulpit is Renaissance from 1594 with the names of Henrik Below and wife.

Spøttrup Borg



Spøttrup Borg
Rødding sogn, Rødding herred, Viborg amt.

Spøttrup belonged during the 1300s to Niels Bugge of Hald. His daughter's son, queen Margrethe I's powerful rigsråd (councillor of State) , Johan Skarpenberg conveyed 1404 Spøttrup to Viborg bishopric hoping to secure a burial place for himself in the cathedral.

The castle was built in the end of the 1400s by the Viborg bishop Niels Glob. After grevefejden (civil war) Spøttup was attacked by Skipper Clement's peasant army, but the castle defied the siege in spite of the fire risk. After the reformation, when the strong castle came under the Crown in 1536, it was in 1559 endowed with the marsk Otte Krumpen. In 1570 the Crown conveyed Spøttrup with 76 farms and 4 mills to rigsråd Henrik Below (+1606), whose family owned it until 1650. Various families have owned Spøttrup since 1650. The land was little by little diminished - and the last parcellation happened after Statens Jordlovsudvalg in 1937 had taken over Spøttrup. The main building was restored under the supervision of Bolig- og Indenrigsministeriet and opened as a Herregårdsmuseum in 1941.

The main building is listed in class A. It is one of the most interesting and best preserved borge/castles in Denmark from the late Middle Ages. The entrance with the bridge directs to a meadow area stretching to Kaas Bredning(fjord). The former lake is now re-established. The buildings are placed upon a narrow motte with a moat, surrounded by a high bank on all four sides. Outside the high banks is the outer moat. The access to the castle goes via bridges which granite pillars and pile work were found during the restoration. The first building was in yellow monk bricks. The wall below the roof is decorated in small hour glass shaped stair uncoverings - the only decoration in the building. During the restoration the original wall work with hemmelighederne (the secrets/toilets) and the surroundings have been somewhat re-created. The two towers in the corners are Renaissance from ab. 1580.

The rooms in the castle are discretely furnished with inventory from the medieval period, and several rooms are with the original walls and fireplaces. In the bottom are vaulted rooms and above is the highlofted riddersal (great hall) in the whole width of the building. Also the old herregårdskøkken (kitchen) was re-created. Behind the outer moats is a reconstructed medieval Abildgård ( apple- and herbal garden) with ab. 300 various medicinal plants and spice herbs and a large rose garden. Museum and garden open to public. Spøttrup Borg

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962; Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks slotte og herregårde, 1998; Jytte Ortmann, Slotte og herregårde i Danmark, 2000.


The first Spøttrup sø (lake) was formed in Stone Age. During the Middle Ages the lake was an indispensable part of the defense of Spøttrup Borg and it also gave fish to the local families. In the 1880s were breeding of oxen at the lands of Spøttrup. This was the end of the lake which was drained to provide hay for the oxen - more profitable than fishing. Several times during the 1980s and in 1990 Limfjorden broke through the dikes under the winter storms, flooding the fields with salt water. It became too costy to maintain the draining and in 1994 it was decided to stop the draining and recreate Spøttrup sø. The former pumpehus is now a bird's observation post. There is a rich bird life at the lake and the surroundings.


A desolate coast at Limfjorden north of Nymølle.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Ejstrup (* 1442 Esdrupp); Mollerup (1542 Mollervp); Knud (1664 Knud Bye); Grundvad ( * 1404 Grwndwatz gord, 1541 Rødinggronuad); Kær (* 1460 Kiær); Kærgårde (1546 Kiergordt); Mølvad (1683 Mølwoj); Spøttrup (* 1404 Spittrup, 1426 Sputdorp, 1486 Spøttrup); Hestehavegård (1664 Hest Hauffue); Nymølle (1541 Nøy møll).

Listed prehistorics: 6 longhills and 28 hills. In a heath north of Knud is a group of 3 hills, of which one is 3 1/2 m high. Other large hills are Vådsagerhøj west of Rødding, a hill south of Mollerup sø, 3 well-preserved Volshedehøje south of Rødding and a little to south two hills. East of Rødding is a group of 6 medium-large hills. At Ejstrup is the impressive Strangelshøj.

Demolished or destroyed: 122 hills. - In the northernest part of the parish are some kitchen middens. In a bog by Mollerup were found a clay pot with 13.000 amber pearls, the largest find of amber pearls in Denmark. They are now at Skive Museum. In a moor by Rødding were found a pair of necklaces from early Bronze Age. At Spøttrup was an Iron Age house site.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.



At Nymølle was a tilework and a timber yard, the owner was my paternal grandfather, Jens Christensen Møller, who died in 1916. The tile work and timber yard was taken over by the oldest son, but is now abolished. This photo is from about 1895, and my father isn't born yet; he was born in 1904. The woman to the left with a small child in her lap is my grandmother and behind her stands my grandfather, Jens. (click to enlarge)

(Number two man from the right is Jens Wæver, the inventor of snurrevoddet (the Danish seine. )


photo Rødding kirke/Spøttrup Borg 2002: grethe bachmann