Stubberkloster and Sevel church / Sevel kirke, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Stubberkloster, in 1274 monasterium Stubbethorp, was a nunnery, possibly of the Benedictine order, consecrated to Virgin Mary. It was built upon a land tongue in the western part of Stubbergård lake. It was mentioned for the first time in 1268 in a will. In 1274 the earlier marsk Jens Kalf of Vinderupgård was conveyed with Stubberkloster by fru Lucie,  if he would supply the kloster and some neighbour-churches with bread and wine. In the middle of the 1400s the kloster got a farm, Grundvadsgård in Ramsing parish, from the knight Lyder Kabel. In 1504 the kloster pawned Savstrup farm and mill to Niels Clementsen. The kloster owned Haderup and Trandum churches and probably also Sevel, Sahl and a few others. Known prioresses were Christina Palsdatter in 1457 and 1459, and Else Munk and Elsebe Ryttersdatter in 1547.The prior managed the estate and the support of the nuns, and he was usually a secular nobleman. But there is not much information left about the history of the kloster.

During the reformation period Stubberkloster was plundered three times, and in 1532 a citizen of Holstebro took Stubberkloster from master Christen Hvid and drove him out. In 1536 it was taken over by the Crown, and in the same year Mogens Kaas of Stubberkloster is mentioned, but in 1538 it was endowed to magister Iver Kjeldsen Juel. He was obliged to support the 12 nuns still living there. He bought the kloster in 1547 with added property (ab. 150 farms and small farms) from the Crown and established a main farm in the name Stubbergård. After his death S. went to his widow Mette Munk (+ 1589) and the children Maren Juel (+ 1624) and Kjeld Juel ( + 1606), whose widow Christence Juel ( + 1658) married Kjeld Krabbe (+ 1612) and after him Knud Gyldenstierne (+ 1638) who in 1620 and 1627 wrote himself of S.

road to the kloster

Stubbergård lake

The heirs demanded administration of the estate in 1640, and it was decided in 1641 that the farm had to be divided: a "brother-part" to late Frederik Munk's heirs, a "sister-part" to Mogens Ulfeldt's widow Anne Munk and a "sister-part" to the late Johan Rantzau's children. After fru Christence's death the farm was divided in 1662 among the many heirs, among whom are mentioned Jacob Ulfeldt of Nr. Karstoft, jomfru Anne Cathrine Akeleye (+ unmarried 1707), who lived at the farm for a period; Claus Sparre of Sdr. Tanggård, who was married to her sister, jomfru Anne Munk of Haraldskær, and Frank Rantzau of Estvadgård. Jacob Ulfeldt's part was later shared among his four daughters, Maren, Mette (married to Enevold Kaas of Lyngholm) Dorte and Anne Margrethe. One part of the farm was in 1703 at an auction after P.Benzon of Havnø sold to Erik Jacobsen Juel ( + 1721) . After some buying and selling the farm was collected in three large parts: 1) Anne Cathrine Akeleye's part, with additions, which she bought from Anne Munk's heirs. She willed the farm and estate to Henrik Jørgen Huitfeldt ( + 1751), who in 1707 conveyed it to Christen Linde of Volstrup . His son R.H.Linde of Rosborggård conveyed it in 1744 to Morten Quistgård, who lived at S. in 1750.

Stubbergård lake

Stubbergård came in 1821 with peasant-estate and taxes at an auction, but since there were no buyers the estate was sold, and in 1826 the main farm was sold to Viborg Stiftsøvrighed, which at once sold it to N.L. Boserup of Vinderup Ladegård. He started some outparcelling and conveyed the main parcel and other parcels to his son Jacob Boserup, who moved the farm and in 1870 sold it to M Skow. After much buying and selling during the 1800s it was in 1915 sold to a consortium, which outparcelled the estate. The main parcel owner was in 1965 C.M.J. Kudahl. The old Stubbergård and the large plantations were bought by director Valdemar Lausen and belonged in 1965 to his daughter grevinde Vibeke Knuth, Vosnæsgård.

The kloster site and building  to the left

 Stubberkloster had a desolate place in very scenic surroundings upon a small islet in Stubbergård lake, an islet, which is now connected with land. Some rests of the kloster-building are preserved, and with the support from Iver Juel's archives and excavations by the National Museum in ab. 1920 is the size of the plan  mainly possible to realize. The kloster-building was a four-winged rectangular plan, placed on the high part of the islet, while the lower part was an abildgård (apple orchard), and the economic buildings were placed here to the south. The church, which like the other buildings of the reformation period was thatched and very decayed, was undoubtedly also placed to the south, but it is not possible to see its plan. There was also another kloster-building to the south, but both the church and this building were probably demolised by Iver Juel, who built a gate wing here in 1545. From the west wing of the kloster is the bottom storey still preserved, built into the steep side of the islet. The building is 16,6 x 7,8 m and has a large vaulted hall with a brick floor and in the walls are niches, possible meant for saints- figures This room must have been a beautiful hall in the kloster.

The hall

 In an excavation were in 1920 found four baking ovens. The building is probably from the beginning of the 1400s. It is in red monk bricks upon a foundation of raw field-stones. In ab. 1800 stood only a long thatched house,which in 1870 was sold for demolishion to the peasants in the area, and at that point was the  kloster-archive from the kloster-period destroyed. In order to protect the medieval room was built a small house, which in the beginning of the 20th century was replaced with the present uncovering, a large thatched roof, and at the same time and later was the building face walled.





 When Iver Juel bought the kloster it was very decayed, the north wing had disappeared and was probably burnt down. At this site he let build with use of the demolished Trandum church a fine fruerstue (ladies' house) with a tower; the building existed no longer in 1800. In an excavation were digged out some high walls. The ground plan of the east wing is seen in the terrain as a raised area continuing down to the lake. This must have been the bank, which fenced in the abildgård (apple orchard). Iver Juel mentions the stable and a new house near the lake. The kloster was plundered three times, and already before he bought it Iver Juel let it in 1545 be surrounded by moats, which were made deeper in 1552. The connection to land was by a barge, until Kjeld Juel built a bridge. He also rebuilt the farm building, which still stood at the islet  - and he probably also established the smitty, the mill and a sheep fold.

In 1807 burnt the east wing, in 1805 was the southern house demolished, and in 1834 the other buildings except the west wing, which stood until 1870. In 1849 built Jacob Boserup the present simple yellow-washed main building at New Stubbergård, which had its place in more fertile surroundings about 2 km northwest of the old kloster. At the old kloster and at New Stubbergård are kept some finely carved granite stone of medieval origin, they origin from the kloster and from Trandum church. In an excavation at the kloster-cemetery were found many skeletons, rests of rosaries and other objects.

Hjerl Hede

Flyndersø

Hjerl Hede was in 1910 bought by and named from ex-minister of finance, H.P.Hjerl-Hansen. He had plans about planting. In 1931 the area was transferred to the Hjerl-foundation, founded in 1915, which in 1934 let the whole area with the beautiful land surrounding the lake Flyndersø be a nature conservation. In 1930 was here built Denmarks oldest peasant farm from Vinkel at Viborg, which was from before 1530, and this was the beginning of the Open Air Museum The Old Village. This holds several other fine old  village houses (farms, mills, smitty, inn, school, barns stables etc.) from various places in the country, brought here and rebuilt here, also a reconstruction of a Romanesque church, an Iron Age house and a few Stone Age huts. There have been laid out high-ridged medieval fields etc. In the summer period is seen how life was in the old village and in the prehistoric houses. It is a very popular place for Danes and tourists from abroad in the summer period. 

Listed prehistorics: Not less than 142 hills, and a 38 m long long-hill Døjs at Navtrup. Several hills are large: Salshøj in a group of 8 hills, Tophøj at Kokborg. South of Sevel a group of 10 hills, like Galgehøj, Haldhøj and Storehøj. At Gunderup is Troldhøj, at Herrup Tophøj and in Sevel plantation Råhøj. East of the lakes two large hills, Vinsøhøj at Hjelm heath, and at Mogenstrup near Skive Å-river valley, two large hills.
Destroyed or demolished: possibly a passage grave at Søndermølle, a find of two flint axes and a club might suggest this. In one of the Skårhøjene were found a battle axe, an arrow head, a bronze sword-blade etc., and under the hill were seen traces from a plough.

At Hellesø are several rich settlements from the Gudenåkulturen. At Herrup was examined a grave site with 24 stone-pile graves from early Stone Age. At Blakskærgårde was in a bog found two bronze-necklaces.

Sevel church (photo later)
The eastern and section of the choir and the nave are from the Romanesque period in granite ashlars at a profiled plinth. The church has a tower to the west and a porch to the south. Two Romanesque windows are kept in the choir. Both original doors are walled in. The church was after 1554 extended to the west with material from the demolished Trandum church and the tower in granite ashlars and monk bricks was added. The tower was heightened  in 1574 and finished in 1577. The tower room was originally vaulted, but it has now a flat ceiling like the choir and the nave, to which it is connected in a large round arch.the porch is a brick-building from 1765. The church is partly white washed.

In the communion tabe, which was re-walled in 1902, is a reliquary. The panel is from ab. 1600. The middle field of the altar piece is from a late Gothic triptychon with carved figures from 1515, in a change in the Renaissance were added new side fields. The figures were restored in 1948. An oil paiting, which was in the altar piece in 1858, is now on the church wall. New brass candelabres. Romanesque granite font with leaf-decoration and arcades on the basin. A pulpit from 1605 with the coat of arms of Kjeld Juel and fru Christence Juel, the original decoration was restored in 1911. The sounding board was a later addition in Rococo-style. Pews in Renaissance-style, the upper two closed manor stools with the coat of arms of the family Juels. In the west end a gallery from ab. 1590 with paintings of the apostles from 1858. In the church hang a series pastorum and a model of the school ship "Danmark". In the tower a bell from 1876 and a carillon, which with a tower-clock was given by Andreas Gade in 1938. Several memorials in the church, like gravestones, portrait reliefs, rests of coat of arms, coffin plates,figures etc. The church is fenced in by a stone dike with a double portal to the south.


Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965. 
photo Stubberkloster & Flyndersø May 2009, Hjerl Hede 2005.