Laurbjerg church / Laurbjerg kirke, Galten herred, Randers amt.

Laurbjerg church, ab. 10 km southwest of Randers
Laurbjerg sogn, Galten herred, Randers amt.


Laurbjerg church has a Romanesque choir and nave in granite ashlars; both doors with simple frames are preserved, the north door bricked-up. An original window still functions in the north wall of the nave, bricked-up Romanesque windows are traceable in the east and north wall of the choir. A Romanesque window lintel is inserted in the south plinth of the choir as a light for the burial chamber. The porch is built in red monk bricks in the late Middle Ages. Inside are plaster ceilings, and the choir arch is extended still with Romanesque kragsten.



The altar piece is a painting from 1919 in a gilt frame with carved wings. The earlier painting now hangs on the wall of the choir. A Romanesque granite font with double lions. A large baptismal bowl in Netherland type from the 1600s. The pulpit has Doric double pillars and painted coat of arms in the arcade fields from 1615, re-painted in 1921 in original colours. Upmost in the nave are old pew gables from 1566 with the carved coat of arms of Margrethe Sandberg and Niels Juel. In the north side of the choir a large epitaph in sandstone and marble, raised by fru Sofie Rostrup for her in 1597 late husband Mads Sandberg of Løjstrup, the monument is without inscription, but the coat of arms reveal who the founder were. Under the choir is a burial vault for the family Sandberg, where is a small altar with a renaissance altar piece and two old altar candelabres, in an examination in 1947 were here found 8 coffins. In the porch are memorial tablets for fallen soldiers from 1848 and 1864, in its wall a couple of grave stones with majuskel inscriptions, probably from the 1600s.




click to enlarge pictures

In Laurbjerg church's porch is a runestone which was moved to here from the church yard, the inscription is: Bolnøds (?) sande sten (?). Ville - -. ( Bolnød's true stone. Ville - - .)

Løjstrup belonged in 1344-51 to Niels Jensen, in 1399 Niels Jensen and in 1408 a Sommer, probably Christen Sommer, whose son Oluf Sommer of Gjandrup (Fussingø) is written to it in 1453-88. His daughter Anna Sommer, who still lived in 1543, brought the farm to Christen Sandberg of Kvelstrup, their son Anders Sandberg died 1567, and the farm was probably divided between the children Sophie, Ulrik and Mads Sandberg (+ 1597). His widow Sophie Rostrup married Steen Brahe, whose son-in-law Frederik Reedtz 1631 bought Ulrik Sandberg's part, in 1633 bought a part, which belonged to Sophie Sandberg's son's son Mourids Stygge , and 1636 sold the farm til Jacob Grubbe, who the next year sold it to Oluf Parsberg (+1661). His son-in-law Otte Pogwisch sold 1662 L. with 25 farms and bol to Mogens Friis, who in 1672 put it under the barony Frisenvold. Later owners: Wesenberg, de Lichtenberg, Thorup, Branth, Broge. In 1959 Jørgen Broge.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Laurbjerg (1355 Larbyergh); Essendrup (* 1462 Esenndrup); Løjstrup (1344 Lothenstorp); Løjstrup mølle (1683 Løystrup Mølle).

Listed prehistorics: a dolmen chamber without cover stone at Laurbjerg and 18 hills, of which two, both in a forest, are rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 11 hills, of which the large Klovhøj. - At Lindkær was found a gold brakteat with runic alphabet.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.


photo Laurbjerg kirke 2006: grethe bachmann