Vester Tørslev church / Vester Tørslev kirke, Nørhald herred, Randers amt.

Vester Tørslev Church, 5 km southeast of Hobro
Vester Tørslev sogn, Nørhald herred, Randers amt.

The small narrow church in Vester Tørslev has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Gothic additions, a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars; both high round arch doors are preserved, the north door bricked-up, the south door is in use. In the east wall of the choir is a bricked-up window, a similar to the north is re-opened, while the original windows in the nave are bricked-up. The choir and nave have flat beamed ceilings, and the small choir arch is preserved with profiled kragsten. The west tower is built in raw granite boulder, it has a pyramid spire, re-newed in 1924. It is from the late Gothic period like the porch. The building was restored in 1950, where a pretty frescoe from the 1300s was brought to light.



The communion table in granite ashlars was re-walled in 1950. Altar piece in Jugend-style from ab. 1900 with painting. Romanesque granite font with lions and human figures. South German baptismal bowl ab. 1575. A small Gothic-like pulpit ab. 1550 . The bell ( damaged by fire?) was cast by Rudolph Melchior. Church ship, the frigate "Effata" from 1924. In the porch is a runestone, which was found by the old road between V. Tørslev and gettrup and where the inscription says: "hala, litu søn rejste denne sten efter sin broder Asulv". ("hala, litu's son raised this stone after his brother Asulv").


(click to enlarge)
Maren Torbensdatter in Tørslevgård is mentioned in 1477. Niels Skade's widow Kirsten Lauridsdatter Munk (Vinranke-M.) of T. lived 1611; she is buried in V. Tørslev kirke.

In the parish is earlier mentioned a farm Vingegård (* 1458 Wingigaardtz marck). Tørslev mølle, which belonged to Mariager kloster, is mentioned 1412 and 1483.



Name in the Middle Ages: Vester Tørslev (* 1447 Thørsløff).

Listed prehistorics: At Tørslev hede a long dolmen without chamber, southwest of V. Tørslev a dolmen chamber Tørslevstenen with a polygonal chamber and cover stone with hollows. Furthermore 20 hills, i.e. the large Tinghøj at a hillside, Bolsbjerge, where were several hills; southwest of V. Tørslev is the pretty Lynghøj.
Demolished or destroyed: A round dolmen, a passage grave, an undefinable stone grave, 37 hills and 3 stone circles.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.


photo Vester Tørslev kirke 2003: grethe bachmann