Lønborg church /Lønborg kirke, Nørre Horne herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Kongskirken (the King's church) in Lønborg was inaugurated to the Danish kongehelgen St. Knud - and it must have been built on Royal order once in the 1100s. It is placed high upon a hill with a magnificent view to Skjern Ådal (river valley) and the west delta to Ringkøbing Fjord. The choir and nave is Romanesque, while tower, porch and sacristy are late Gothic additions, but the south side is completely re-walled ab. 1804. The porch and tower are built in monk bricks late in the 1400s -and the later sacristy is built in re-used granite ashlars. Both doors are preserved , the northern women's door is walled-in. The original men's door is now the entrance to the church room from the porch. Two Romanesque windows are in use in the nave, while a similar window in the choir gable is bricked-up.


The granite communion table is covered in a pine panel from the end of the 1500s. The altarpiece is Renaissance and has a Holy-Communion painting in the big field, dated 1668. In the 1900th century rests of a Catholic triptychon were found in the middle section. Small Gothic altar candlesticks with animal paws. The Romanesque granite font has rope decorations with leaves. In the choir is a peculiar parish clerk chair in carved oak, decorated with a pig playing a bagpipe. In the sacristy is the original baptismal copper dish from the 1600s with a rosette in the bottom. The pretty pulpit is an excellent woodcarver work in Gothic-Renaissance from the end of the 1500s. It is similar to pulpits in Sønder Bork Church etc. The sounding board has the year 1605 with the coat of arms of Munk-Lange, Gersdorff and Gyldenstierne, referring to Else Munk and Kristoffer Gersdorff, who was a vasal at kongsgården Lønborggård.

The whole church is vaulted probably shortly before 1487 according to a Latin inscription. The present decorations were restored in 1992. They are Renaissance frescoes from the middle of the 1500s. Doomsday has got a special place in the north section. In long rows the diseased - dressed in contemporary clothes - are walking to the saving Heaven's Gate, while the sinners are punished and the devils are blowing in alphorns.


Lønborg church upon the hill at Skjern Å (river) with a grand view over the large river landscape and the delta at Ringkøbing Fjord with Holmsland Klit far away to the west. The church yard is partly surrounded by big trees along the dike. In the southern walled church yard gate is a cattle grating.

Skjern Aa

Names in the Middle ages and 1600s:
Lønborg (* ab. 1140 Løneburg, * 1231 Lønæburgh); Vostrup (1610 Wostrup); Lavstrup (1688 Laustrupbye); Fjerbæk (1610 Fierbeck); Nr. Bøel (* 1298 Bøle), Sdr. Bøel ( * 1298 Bøle); Kyvling ( ab. 1300 Kyfling(h); Styg ( 1489 Stygh); Lønborggård * 1595 Lønboriggaard); Varisbøl (1688 Warispill).

Lønborggård belonged in the Catholic time to Ribe bishopric and is often named Lønborg Bishop's Manor. It seems that in the end of the 1400s it was endowed to bishop Hartvig Juel's sister Johanne, married to Christian Steen whose son Erik Steen was a vasal there in 1502. In 1511 it came to Eiler Bryske and in 1533 to Christen Fasti of Vennergård. In his time the manor was plundered by Skipper Clement's peasant army. After the reformation Lønborggård was taken by the Crown , and hereafter various administrators and owners.

At Lønborggård was earlier a salmon-farm which was abolished in the 1800s.

West of the church was a Kongsgård (King's Manor) which is already mentioned in Valdemars Jordebog as Lønæburgh from where Erik Glipping 1278 issued letters. Upon a map from a priest-report 1638 is sketched "Borigvold" (Castlebank) at Lønborg Bjerg west of the church. The name is preserved in Lønborg village, but the original farm was destroyed in the war 1638, and the fields later came to Lønborggård.

At Lønborg east of the church was according to a priest-report 1639 a sacred well, Skt. Knuds Kilde, which was visited by many people during the Middle Ages.

After a witch-process in 1683 a woman was burnt at Vostrup Hede.

When digging at Nørregård, Bøel were in 1902 found 8 Danish-Norwegian sletdalere (1653-79), 3 Netherland gylden (1628-72) and 4 silver rings.

Listed prehistorics: 30 hills and 3 small longhills, these are together with another large hill and 4 lesser hills in a group in the southern section of Lønborgårds heath. In Lønborggårds plantation is a large hill Annebjerg, to the south another large hill, where once was a larger group of hills.
Demolished or destroyed: 19 hills. - From Lønborggård is known an urn grave site from Celtic Iron Age, and jordfæstegravpladser (interment) from early Iron Age are known from Styg (early Roman period) and west of the church.( late Roman period).

Lønborg and Egvad sogn(parish) were once divided, but was united in 1594. The priest in Lønborg applied in 1631 and several times later for that he wanted to live in Egvad, since "Lønborg Præstegårds Jorder grænse til Fjorden, så at de tit lide Skade og Kvæget drukner"
(the land of vicarage bordered to the fjord, which caused damage and the cattle drowned), but this wasn't granted. Since 1929 Lønborg has its own parish.

Sources: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965; Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks kirker; 2000; Axel Bolvig, Danmarks kalkmalerier, 2002.

Lønborg church seen from the delta


One of two centers with exhibitions of the flora and fauna at Skjern Å.

Exhibition Naturplan

Nationalpark Skjern Å

photo 2005 and 2006: grethe bachmann

Nørre Bork church/ Nørre Bork kirke, Nørre Horne herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Nørre Bork Church, ab. 27 km south of Ringkøbing
Nørre Bork sogn, Nørre Horne herred, Ringkøbing amt

The small church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a Late Gothic porch and tower. The original walls are built in large granite ashlars. Upon the loft are the original field stone gables. Two original windows are preserved in the wall of the nave and one in the wall of the choir, all with monolite cover stones. The south door is in use, while the similar north door is walled in with a profile-carved cover stone. An almost similar priest's door is below the windows of the choir. The original choir arch has kragbånd (oblong relief stones.)

Inside the choir has a Late Gothic cross vault with trefoil ribs, the nave has a flat beamed ceiling. In the communion table ,which is covered in a Renaissance panel, was once found a gilt copper box with a reliquary, which was said to be a thumb-bone of St. Anna. The altar piece and the pulpit with a sounding board are also Renaissance from ab. 1600 and probably made by the same master as the panel of the communion table. richly profiled altar candelabres from ab. 1600. The Romanesque granite font is the West Jutland smooth basin type like in Sønder Bork Church. The brass baptismal dish is South German from ab. 1550-75. A pewter baptismal jar by the Boizenburg-master F.H. Thiessen 1812. The pews are southwest Jutland Renaissance and a gable has the year 1575 below initials "IP". In the topmost part of the church are some manor-pews with the year 1652 and the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Jacob Grubbe and Ingeborg Kruse. Furthermore is an iron cast money block in the church. Bell cast by Meilstrup, Randers 1865.


The church yard is fenced in earth-covered dikes with kvægrist ( cattle grate) and svingel (swingle) at the west and south gate. At the south gate is also a driving gate.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Nørre Bork (1310 Nørbork); Sønderby (1597 Sønderbye); Magårde (1610 Maygaard); Grubbesholm (1688 Grubbisholm ).

Nørkærgård (1610 Nørkiergaard) was still in 1638 a peasant-farm, but in 1645 a main farm, belonging to Jacob Grubbe, who was said to leave N. caused by a flood and from a part of it established Grubbesholm in 1651. Both farms came after his death in 1655 to his halfbrothers Erik and Niels Kruse, of whom Erik Kruse 1656 outbought Niels from both farms. In 1661 he had to give them up, and Grubbesholm was taken over by archbishop Hans Svane, while Nørkærgård was taken over by landsdommer Willum Lange of Asmildkloster and mag. Hans Rosenberg in Ribe. Later owners Lassen, Hagedorn Brahe, Meiner, Jermiin, Muff and outparcelling.

Jomfru Edel Kaas is in 1589 written to Magård.

There are no known prehistorics in the parish, a small settlement from late Stone Age is known from Nr. Bork.


Bork havn is an idyllic little marina.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt.


photo Nørre Bork kirke /Bork havn 2003: grethe bachmann

Råsted church / Råsted kirke, Ulfborg herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Råsted Church, ab 12 km southwest of Holstebro
Råsted sogn, Ulfborg herred, Ringkøbing amt.


Råsted church has a Romanesque choir and nave, a tower to the west and a porch to the south, both from the late Middle Ages. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars ; the original windows are kept at the north side, 2 in the nave and 1 in the choir, all are bricked-up like the north door; the south door is extended. The inside has beamed ceilings, the choir arch with kragsten is very high; The tower and porch are late medieval additons in re-used ashlars and monk bricks. The tower room functions as a tool room; it has an octagonal rib vault and a pointed arch to the nave. The church was restored in 1955.

The communion table is in granite ashlars. The altar piece is in Renaissance-style with pillars and achantus ornamentation. The painting in the middle field and the decoration is from the 1800s. The heavy ore candelabres are given in 1603 by Conr. Husman with his name and coat of arms. A Romanesque granite font in West Jutland-type. A smooth brass baptismal bowl with lid. A pewter baptismal jar from ab. 1850. Pulpit with a sounding board in Renaissance-style, in the arcade fields are painted symbols from the beginning of the 1800s. A parish clerk chair from ab. 1600 with gable from the 1700s and a priest- or Lord of the Manor- chair from the 1700s, both with decorations in Rococo-style. From the other pews are some from 1646, the rest a simple copy from 1846. In the church hangs a small ship rigged as a bark, furthermore an iron bound church coffin .


An example: a new window between two
bricked-up Romanesque windows. What a pity!

Stenumgård was once a main farm, from which one third in 1512 by Niels Lauridsen Skadeland in Odsgård was conveyed to Niels Clementsen of Blæsbjerg. In 1531 and 1545 is mentioned Jacob Vognsen of S., in 1569 and 1585 it belonged to his son Jens V. (+ ab. 1600), in 1601 and 1609 his son Mikkel V. (+ ab. 1620), whose daughters Margrete and Anne Vogsndatter (both later in Karisegård), in 1635 sold it to fru Ide Lange of Nr. Vosborg. with her daughter Susanne Juel (+ 1685) S. came to amtmand Erik Qvitzow of Udstrup, who in 1652 sold it to fru Elsebe Juel of Brusgård, widow after Ove Juul (+ 1644) . From her it came to Christen Linde in 1670. Later owners Friedenreich, Wad, Vejrup, Kirk, Hammer, Filipsen. Owner in 1960: Chr. Torp.

Elsebe Juel , widow after Ove Juul. It is correct that the names have different spelling.
Elsebe Juel's last name is her birth name. Elsebe Juel and Ove Juul belonged to two families.


Back entrance at the church yard.

Øgelstrup was a main farm, which belonged to the family Juel ( star in coat of arms). It was said that it belonged to Palle Juel, who lived ab. 1350, and who together with his siblings owned much estate in Råsted and Idum parish. His great-grandson Palle Juel lived at Udstrup, whereafter Ø. belonged under this farm still in 1661. in 1666 it belonged to bailiff Thomas Andersen Wendtzel, who had bought if from rådmand Morten Mikkelsen's widow Kirsten in Copenhagen. In 1683 was it under Stenumgård. In 1917 outparcelled. Owner of main parcel in 1960: Harry Simonsen.

In 1465 is Niels Juel mentioned in Råsted.

Dorte Juel ,who in the 1300s was married to Christiern Arnestsen Skram, was said to be of Gammel Råsted.In 1485 Predbjørn Clausen Podebusk achieved Gammel Råsted. In 1688 it belonged to Christen Linde of Volstrup.

At Arnsbjerg mark at Lilleå (river) is a sacred well.


Råsted Church in the landscape.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s.:
Råsted ( 1330-48 Roosteth); Blæsbjerg * 1514 Blesbierg); Hvolby (* 1457 Holby); Hvoldal (1610 Huoeldael); Knudsig (* 1512 Knudsiig); Øgelstrup (1522 Ygelstrup); V. Femhøj (1610 Fembhuiff); Arnsbjerg (1610 Andsbierg); Gårsdal ( 1492 Garpdall, 1610 Gaardzdael, Garpsdal, 1664 Garsdall) .

In the parish were earlier mentioned the settlements Grandsborg (1610 Grandzborgh), Hummersborg (1664 Hummersborrig), Helsig (1664 Helszig) and Hedehuse (1688 Heedehuse).

Listed prehistorics: 39 hills and two long dolmens. Northeast of Blæsbjerg is a rather large, pretty hill; or else the hills are mostly small. Southwest of the church is a group Femhøje upon a hillside.
Demolished of destroyed: 16 hills.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.


photo Råsted kirke 2003: grethe bachmann

Sahl church / Sahl kirke, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Sahl Church, 12 km southwest of Skive
Sahl sogn, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto


Sahl Church was the main church in Ginding district during the Middle Ages. It is built in the second half of the 1100s in granite ashlars. The Romanesque building consists of nave, choir and apse. Three windows in the nave and two in the choir and a window in the apse are preserved, the choir and apse windows restored in 1947. Both original doors are preserved. The women's door on the north side is walled in, but has its original two pillars and a thympanum. The men's door on the southside behind the walls of the porch is in use. The entrance is flanked by double free-standing pillars and a smooth thympanum. The Gothic tower was added in the late 1400s. The bottom section is built in re-used ashlars from the broken western wall. The top white-washed section is built in monk bricks. The tower was higher but was rebuilt in 1784. The present tower with its pyramid roof is due to a repair in 1916 after a lightning. The porch is built in monk bricks.

The church room is high and very light with a flat beamed ceiling. The choir arch is very broad and has kept its two side-altar niches, where the southern is carved through as stairs to the pulpit. The apse with a half cupola-vault is closed towards the choir with a wall and functions as a sacristi.

Frescoes at the old windows


Door from 1500s and late Gothic crucifix

Inventory: Small altar candelabres in late medieval type. A Romanesque granite font with lily shaped ornaments upon the basin. A Netherland baptismal bowl from the 1600s. A large late Gothic choir arch crucifix. A pulpit in Renaissance with paintings of the evangelists. Large closed pews in oak from the Renaissance-period; parts from pews of West Jutland type from 1584 re-used as gables at the wall. In apse a confessional , partly from 1622 and a series pastorum from the beginning of the 1800s . Money block in oakwood. An oakwood door wing from the Renaissance period, originally belonging to the south door, is now placed in the northern door niche.


The men's door in the porch with pillars and thympanum.
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto


The golden altar
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto



The golden altar, detail

The finest piece of Sahl Church is the golden altar. It is the only fully preserved golden altar in the North and a main work in European art history. It was probably made in Ribe ab. 1200 at the same workshop, which also mastered the later altar-front in Stadil Church north of Ringkøbing. The gild copperplates are fastened upon a base of oak wood and consists of two sections. The bottom section is the original altar-front, while the top section is the retablet with Heavens' Gate which was placed upon the communion table itself. The golden altar is today placed upon the apse wall behind the communion table, which was dictated by the National Museum for security reasons.



Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Sahl (1330-48 Salæ); Vinderup (* 1274 Windorp); Hasselholt (* 1406 Haselholt, 1454 Hassleholt, Haslæholt); Nr. Bjert (* 1422 Byærtæ, 1688 Sønder Bierne bye); Agerbæk ( Ackebeck, 1485 Agerbek); Hovgård (1388 Swensthorp houegaar, 144 Howgard); Nold ( 1510 Nøldher mark, 1688 Noldgaard); Obitsø ( 1510 Obbysø mark, 1688 Obeedtzgaard); Buskov (1511 Bosko, Boscho); Bulig (1591 Buling, 1688 Boelig); Vindelev (1467 Winderløff, 1510 Windeløff); Øster and Vester Skovlund (1467 Wester Skofflending, 1547 Vester-Øster Skovflendt); Sevelstedgård (1489 Søffweltwedh, 1688 Søuelstedgaard); Brendtang ( 1510 Brentange).

Vinderup Hovgård was a main manor mentioned 1274 ("Wynderopgaardt"), when fru Lucie conveyed it to former marsk Jens Kalf in return for a contribute to Stubberkloster; in 1349 Jens Kalf's daughter Inger lived at V.; she was married to Albert Albertsen Eberstein; also her brother's son Erland K. ,who still lived in 1377, owned it. In 1422 væbner Henrik Friis is mentioned of Wyndropp, whereafter it was owned by Eske Friis and his daughter fru Mette, married to Oluf Nielsen (Sort) of Fovsing Hovgård. Later it was a farm, which in 1615 by Palle Rosenkrantz was sold to Claus Maltesen Sehested's widow Anne Nielsdatter Lykke (+ 1645), whose son Malte Sehested (+ 1661) established it into a ladegård( farm) under Rydhave ab. 1650. After his widow Margrethe Frederiksdatter Reedtz' death in 1693 it came to their sons-in-law Gregers Ulfstand Høg of Vang and Jørgen Grubbe Kaas of Rybjerg . Later owners: Sehested, Boserup, Sejersen etc. In 1913 sold to a consortium, which outparcelled it for villas in Vinderup stationsby.

In the meadow area in the northwestern outskirt of Vinderup By is the large castle bank Vinderup Vold, an ab. 4 m high square castle bank with round corners. It is surrounded by a moat. Bricks have been found.

Svenstrup was a main farm, owned by Herman Knudsen, whose brother the væbner Chr. Luggi in 1378 pawned it to Ribe bishopric, and he and Jens Pors later conveyed S. to the bishopric. In 1388 bishop Jens Mikkelsen gave it to Ribe chapter, which endowed it to Jes Juel. In 1492 is mentioned Erik Pallesen Juel in Svenstrup Hovgård. Still in 1661 it was under the chapter, but in 1688 it had become ryttergods (a cavalry estate). The king conveyed it in 1717 for 575 rigsdaler to Christen Linde of Volstrup, and in 1770 it was divided in two farms, one under Volstrup, the other under Handbjerg Hovgård.

In Hasselholt was a main farm, which was owned by fru Gunner Bosdatter Høg, widow after Erland Kalf, who is mentioned in 1411. In 1489 it was owned by Niels Krabbe, whose wife Kirsten Bosdatter Høg had inherited it together with her sister Karen.

In the crack of an old oak coffin from Sahl church were in 1850 found 8 coins from Erik Plovpenning and Erik of Pommern.

From disappeared buildings in the parish are the farms Lerballe (1683 Lierballe), earlier named Agerkrog (1683 Agerkroog); Brendshede (* 1489 Brentzhee); Trabjerg (1494 Troberig, 1612 Thrabberigh); Abildholt (1612 Albildholt); and in Svenstrup the farms Nørgård (1683 Nørgaard); Meldgård (1683 Melgaar); Søndergård (1683 Syndergaard) and Bjerregård (1683 Bieregaard.)

Listed prehistorics: 17 hills, most of them are small single graves from Stone age and situated in the heath to the north.
Demolished or destroyed: 27 hills.
Sahl Church
The name Sal is a reminder of the Viking Period and heathen sacrifice places = gudehov. But it is not known where this gudehov were, or if the present stone church had one or two wooden predecessors. A west Jutland legend says that the golden altars were given to the two churches from an English prince who was shipwrecked at Bovbjerg. The Stadil altar was the foot piece and the Sahl altar was the head piece of the prince's bed. Most important in this legend is that it bares witness that our earliest churches' connection to England was a part of the national Danish consciousness.

The copy of a medieval church at Hjerl Hede Open-Air Museum.

The church yard is surrounded by old stone dikes and a pretty western late Gothic portal. Similar but smaller portals are preserved on the south and east side of the church yard.
Sahl is situated only a few km southwest of the pretty open air museum Hjerl Hede. Here is a museum's church showing the medieval church building and the technique of the frescoes.

Source:Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965; Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks kirker, 2000.


photo Sahl kirke/Hjerl Hede 2003/ Sahl kirke 2009: grethe bachmann

Skarrild church / Skarrild kirke, Hammerum herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Skarrild Church, ab. 20 km southwest of Herning
Skarrild sogn, Hammerum herred, Ringkøbing amt.


The simple church in Skarrild has a Romanesque choir and nave with a porch to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars; the straight-edged north door is in use, while the south door has disappeared. In the east and north side of the choir is a round arched window in each wall, in the nave two similar, all open. Upon an ashlar west of the door is a faint engraved ornament. Inside are flat beamed ceilings and a round choir arch. The porch outside the north door is built in ashlars and bricks and has inside a flat round arched vault, the age of the porch is unknown. West of the nave are traces from a tower, which was once removed .

The altar piece is a painting from the late 1800s. Baluster shaped Renaissance candelabres, given 1605 by Oluf Christensen Ronum. Simple Romanesque granite font. A pulpit in late Renaissance ab. 1650. Pews partly renaissance from 1624. A bell without inscription from 1200s. hangs in a bell frame at the choir gable. Upon the church yard is a memorial wall for the 7 British fliers, who crashed south of the church in 1944; in front of the wall is placed a propel from the airplane.


SEVEN BRITISH FLYERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND FOR US.
27.8.1944
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.


Nørre Karstoft was still a farm in 1614, when it together with Estvadgård by Peder Munk was sold to Jakob Lykke. In 1635 it belonged to Christian Rantzau of Breitenburg, in 1636 it was with 3 farms and one bol (small farm) by Iver Mogensen Krabbe of Vegeholm (+ 1662) sold to Corfitz Ulfeldt of Tviskloster, whose brother Jakob Ulfeldt owned it in 1638 . His children are written to it in 1670, and the son Jakob Jakobsen Ulfeldt conveyed it in 1683 with four farms to the priest Niels Kjeldsen Ulfborg (+ 1687). Later owners: Windfeldt, Schanderup, Paaske, Schiønning, Linnet, Secher, Lange, Wium, Rahbek. Owner from 1929 Johannes Møller. (1965).

West of the farm Højkilde is a sacred well.

In Skarrild sogn (parish) lived den kloge mand (wise man/healer ) Per Kragsig, where many people came to be healed.



Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Skarrild (1330-48 Skareld); Karstoft (1612 Korszthofft); Døvling (1688 Wester Deuling, Øster Douling); Ronnum (1688 Ronnumgaard); Silstrup (1648 Sielstrup); Skarrild Nederby (* 1479 Nørby); Lustrup (1587 Ludstrup); Hesselvig (1688 Heselwiig); Heesgård (1688 Heeszgaard); Nr. Karstoft (1688 Nørkastoft Hovedgaard), Pindvig (1688 Store-, Lille Pindwig).

Listed prehistorics: 30 hills, mainly in the northwestern part of the parish in connection to the many hills in Sdr. Felding and Assing parish. Several hills are rather large: Troldhøj or Trindhøj north of Døvling, Smedstruphøj west of Skarrild and Tophøj in the group Pilgårds høje, 4 hills (besides 6 demolished) northwest of Skarrild.
Demolished or destroyed: 26 hills. - At Skjern Å on the land of Hesselvig Enggård was found a settlement from Gudenåkulturen.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.


photo Skarrild kirke 2003: grethe bachmann

Borris church / Borris kirke, Bølling herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Borris Church, ab. 23 km southwest of Herning
Bølling herred, Ringkøbing amt.

The church is situated close to Skjern Å, surrounded by raw boulder dikes with a large driving gate to the west and foot gates to the north and east; the gates are all walled and origin from the Middle Ages. The large church has a choir and nave, a porch to the south and a tower at the west gable. The Romanesque core, choir and nave, are built in granite ashlars, and both round arched portals from the earliest period are preserved, the north door was bricked-up a long time ago, but was re-opened in a restoration, while the south door was always in use. Also the choir arch with kragsten is preserved, the kragsten are carved too long for the thickness of the wall; and five Romanesque windows to the north, three in the nave and two in the choir, all in function.


A look to the gallery

Upon the loft is still seen, 800 years after the building, considerable remains from the Romanesque tagstol (= roof posts plus head). In the late Middle Ages was built a porch in front of the south door, in monk bricks with a round arched arcadeblænding (blænding = lowered area) in the south gable and fixed, bricked-up benches inside. The high tower is late Gothic with a spire that grows up behind four pointed gables of the so-called tørninglenske type, which is common in the Ribe-area. The vaulted tower room opens to the nave in a round arched arcade. The other parts of the church have beamed ceilings. The building has been restored several times, also in 1921.


The communion table is walled in ashlars and monk bricks with two reliquaries in the plate. A panel from ab. 1600s. A large, rich decorated altar piece from ab. 1625, in two storeys with wings and top section; the large field is tripartite with Corinthic pillars with early paintings. Baroque altar candelabres without inscription. When a priest-report from 1638 notes that there was an inscription upon a panel about the building of the choir in 1510, it is not meant to be the building itself, but the new furnishing of the choir with inventory, from which the present priest- and parish clerk-chairs seem to be rests with beautiful late Gothic fiale-gables. A Romanesque granite font, cubic shaped, a carved sounding board above the font with the painted year 1632, restored 1953. Upon the north wall of the nave hangs a large, early Gothic choir arch crucifix with partly preserved cross-wood.; its former curved plank with carved dragon heads hangs now upon the organ gallery. A late medieval carved figure of Mary with child, ab. 1500, hangs upon the north wall of the nave.

A pulpit with entrance fields as in Stavning kirke and sidewings, with painted year 1603-04, the pulpit has Corinthic corner pillars with achantus-decorations and relief-carved prophets and reformers (Luther and Melanchton), plus in the postament fields Evangelists and biblical scenes. Upon the pulpit are also two carved figures, which belongs in another place, a medieval angel at the entrance and upon the backside a late Gothic dragon head, lesser than the above mentioned from the crucifix. Richly carved Baroque sounding board from the middle of the 1600s. In the nave are many old pew gables, the upper pews to the south have a carved year 1641. A well-preserved gallery to the west with panel fields and a carved year 1637, in the fields are the 12 apostles, painted in 1654 by Jacob von Molengracht and Jacob Bartholomesen. New church ship. New series pastorum painted upon an old lid from the pews with a carved year 1641. In the tower a bell without inscription in early Gothic shape. A low grave hill in the southern section of the church yard was according to tradition cast over the people, who died of the plague in 1603.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Borrris (1330-48 Burigs); Vesterby (1521 Westerby); Debelmose (* 1501 Døuilmosse); Hjoptarp (1336 Hyupæthorp, 1487 Hypterop, 1498 Hiwptarp); V. Gåsdal (* 1502 Gaasdal, 1688 Store Gaasdal); Ø. Gåsdal ( 1688 Lille Gaasdal); Feldsing (1498 Fylsingh, 1597 Feldsing); Gjaldbæk (1498 Gialbek); Kodbøl (1487 Koode Booll, 1498 Kodebøll, Kadbøl); Sønderskov ( 1487 Syndherskogh,), Votkær (1585 Voedkier, Vaadkier); Vindelbo (* 1530 Wendelbo); Fonager (1688 Fanager); Brunbjerg( 1688 Brunebierg); Egvig ( 1688 Egwig); Ager (1688 Aggergaard); Skobæk (1498 Skoffbeck, 1607 Skobech); Ahlergård ( 1688 Allergaard); Lindviggård (* 1553 Linduig(h)); Ågård ( 1498 Aagard); Odderskær (*1400s Otærskyær); Borriskrog (1498 Krogh, 1585 Barritskrog); Slikdal (1688 Slickdahl).


Skjern Å

Ahlergård was a main farm, which in 1655 and 1658 belonged to Gunde Rostrup of Randrup, whose son Hans Rostrup of Juellingsholm, who in 1667 is written to A., in 1675 conveyed 4/5 of A. with estate, which he and his brother Jørgen Rostrup of Lydumgård had inherited after their sister jomfru Elsebe Dorete Rostrup, to their brother-in-law Christen Henriksen Lange of Dejbjerglund (+ 1677), whose widow Sophie Rostrup ( + 1725) in 1693 sold A. etc to mayor Christoffer Castensen in Ribe, who 1700 sold it to Jakob Andersen Harboe or Ahler (+ 1737), who in 1712 conveyed it to Mads Christensen Kjær or Ahler (+ 1740). In an exchange after him came A. with estate to his son-in-law Jens Christensen Rahbek (+ 1780), who in 1755 conveyed it for 1500 rigsdaler to his son Mads Jensen Rahbek ( + 1803). In 1849 it was outparcelled; the main parcel was in 1851 sold to Jens Thomsen.

Sønderbygård was earlier a main farm, it belonged to Knud Galt of Viumgård (+ 1650), whose son Folmer G. in 1651 sold it to his mother fru Birgitte Juul of Viumgård. In 1688 it was under Viumgård.

In the parish was earlier mentioned the farms Grønhede (1498 Grønhee), Hovlbjerg (1688 Houelbierg), Rønbæk (1660 Rønbechs Husted); Stir (1660 Stier) and Mosegård (1498 Mosegard). The two last mentioned disappeared in the present.

Listed prehistorics: 70 hills, of which 36 are north of Skjern Å (in Nørreland and Ahler Gårde) and only 14 hills south of Skjern Å (Sønderland). Among the hills north of the water stream are several rather large hills and in several places are large groups: the 8 Mangehøje, of which 4 are large, just east of these are 5 Kongenshøje and east of these 5 Stenhøje. Southwest of Kongenshøje is the large Klovenhøj and west of Stenhøjene is Viumhøj. A large, beautiful hill is Rishøj. At Ahler Gårde is Storehøj.
Demolished or destroyed: one long hill and 86 hills. - Along Skjern Å were found several lesser settlements from Gudenåkulturen. In the præstegårdsmosen (moor at the vicarage) were found 220 amber pearls.

Gudenåkulturen was earlier used as a name for the material found at settlements along the river Gudenåen. (in Jutland). It later showed to be a mix of findings from Maglemosekulturen, Kongemosekulturen and Ertebøllekulturen.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.


photo Sønder Borris kirke 2003: grethe bachmann