Nørup church/Nørup kirke and Engelsholm, Vejle amt

The large whitewashed and lead roofed church in Nørup is situated high upon a hillside with a beautiful view to the landscape. It has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west, a chapel from 1621 at the north side of the choir and a porch from 1733 at the south side of the nave. It is marked both out- and inside by Gerhard de Lichtenberg's thorough rebuild in 1732-33. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a double plinth, attic profile above a bevelled edge. From original details is only a rounded arch window in the east gable of the choir. In the late Gothic period was to the west added a tower in monk bricks, which cross vaulted bottom room opens towards the nave in a pointed tower arch. The entrance to the middle storey is via a ladder to a hatch in the vault. The upper section of the tower is rebuilt with large rounded arch  glamhuller (sound holes) in 1732, when a lantern spire was placed above an onion dome. The vaulted chapel to the north is built in 1621 in granite ashlars and monk bricks at the request of fru Margrethe Lange, who let insert an octagonal cross vault in the choir. In Gerhard de Lichtenberg's big rebuild in 1732-33 the walls were enheightened and normalized in choir and nave, and the nave had two bays eight-ribbed vaults. At the same time a vaulted porch in new materials was built in front ot the south door, which was extended.

view from the church

The communion table is covered by panelwork  from ab. 1550. The altarpiece is a rich carving from 1732 in late Baroque i reliefs, influenced by Viborg cathedral's Baroque altarpiece and made by Jens Jensen. In the northeast corner of the choir is a closed chair with openwork carving. Baluster candelabres in late Renaissance ab. 1650. A low choir-counter, flanked by cerub-figures, and a small closure with a canopy -   a sounding board above the Romanesque granite font with a smooth half circular basin, partly inserted with acanthus-carvings, a pulpit with comfortably sitting figures (virtues) upon a cornice,  and a "heaven" above with a bird on its nest,  plus pews and dominating gallery - all this was made by Jens Jensen 1732-33. The pews and the galllery is painted with pietistic allegories and versified sentences. In the  west end of the nave a gallery with biblical pictures and the facade of an organ, given 1730 by grev F. Danneskiold. The present organ is from 1857. A large ship-model , a warship  1741 "Chr. VI". A klingpung (purse on a stick for collecting money) in brass from Rococo-period. At the opening to the chapel are carved wooden doors with iron grate. Bells 1) 1549 by master Henrich Tram 2) 1911 Åbyhøj.

You can see the interior in some drawings on this link:
Nørup kirke

view from the church

Memorials:
In chapel sandstone epitaph Margrethe Lange (+ 1622) and her 2. husband Knud Brahe (+ 1615) with kneeling figures. In the nave memorial tablet Christen de Linde (+ 1790), his wife Gedske de Lichtenberg (+ 1766) and their son Chr. de Linde (+ 1766). Memorial tablet for fallen soldiers from wars 1848-50 and 1864.  In the chapel a pretty black gravestone : Jens Kaas of Voergård (+ 1579) and Margrethe Lange with two figures: warrior and widow. Upon the churchyard a classisistic monument  for captain Niels v. Jermiin (+ 1807). Upon the northern section of the churchyard was according to Pontoppidan's Atlas buried a big number of Polish soldiers, who died in 1659 from contagious disease. At the gate of the churchyard to the west two pillars with sandstone lions carrying weapons. 

old stairs in the park

Engelsholm was exchanged by Chr. I in 1452 to hr. Timme Nielsen (Rosenkrantz)(+ before 1457). The son Erik Timmesen (Rosenkrantz)(lived still in 1514) extended the farm. After the death of his widow Margrethe Høg (after 1523) E. went to the daughter Bege Rosenkrantz, widow after Erik Nielsen (Lange) and her son Erik Eriksen (Lange) (+ 1572).  His son, the alchymist Erik Eriksen Lange the Young, owned E. together with his brother-in-law Knud Brahe (+ 1615), but the last mentioned became the sole owner - and since his widow Margrethe Lange died childless in 1622, the farm came to his brother's son Jørgen Brahe of Hvedholm (+ 1661), who in 1653 left the estate to his youngest son Preben Brahe (+ 1708). E. suffered much damage during the Swedish wars (svenskekrigene). Among the heirs the son captain Henrik Brahe (+ 1725) became the sole owner in 1709; his widow Henrikke Sophie Bille (+ 1731), deeded it to Gerhard de Lichtenberg, who did much for the estate and among other things established tileworks and a papermill. He deeded in 1754 E., Haraldskær and Kjeldkær plus taxes, churches and peasant farms, to his son-in-law Christen Linde of Ulsund (+ 1790), who in 1767 deeded the same farms to his brother-in- law, justitsråd Hans Henrik de Lichtenberg of Bidstrup. He sold in 1770 E. to kammerråd Nicolaj Duus, later of Hals Ladegård, who in 1774 deeded E. to generalkrigskommissær Marcus v. Hielmcrone (+ 1793), earlier of Herningholm. E was in an forced auction in 1780 bought by kammerherre Christian Frederik Tønne v. Lüttichau of Åkær, who in 1784 sold E. to kammerherre Niels Krabbe Juel of Billeshave. He deeded in 1786 E. to justitsråd H.H. Tønder (+ 1808), who in 1795 deeded it to captain Niels Jermiin of Lønborggård, who in 1796 had royal allowance to sell the estate without losing "the freedom of a main farm" (hovedgårdsfriheden) and allowance to do some outparcelling.
Later owners:  G. Krøyer,  Carl Adolph Rothe Bech, J.C. B Breum, Niels A. Høgdall, Jydsk Landhypothekforening (outparcelling). Main building sold to N Andersen and E.A. Thiel, Odense. After several owners in 1939 sold to: Sune Andersen and Frede Bording, who established højskole (high school). In 1952 selvejende institution (independent) Engelsholm Folkehøjskole ( folk high school).    

Engelsholm is to day high school of art and music.


Abildgårdsholt ( then in Bredsten parish);  was by the king deeded in 1549 to Erik Lange of Engelsholm, in 1638 Abildgård was a big farm under Engelsholm. It is probably the same farm, which later was called Engelsholm Ladegård. The building plus a dairy was probably built by grev F. Danneskiold-Samsøe, in  1797 it was sold out from Engelsholm and came to B.H.C.Riisbrich (+ 1814), whose son D.P. Riisbrich (+ 1831) inherited it. His widow Margrethe Sophie Mussman (+ 1864) and son B.C.Riisbrich (+ unmarried 1874) owned it after this, and the last mentioned's brother købmand J.C. Riisbrich (+ 1889) sold it in 1880 to Hans Aagesen Knudsen of Trøjborg. His son Andreas Birger Knudsen sold it in 1918 in the name Abildgård to A. Boye (+ 1924), whose son C.J. Boye took it over and in 1962 transferred it to his son Aage Boye.

Lihme was before 1306 sold to Ring kloster.

Ebbe Lille deeded in 1338 his mother-in-law Ose Thomasdatter's inherited estate in Søgård etc. to her brother Troels Thomsen. The small town S. was abolished by grev Fr. Danneskiold- Samsøe ab. 1730 and the land came under Engelsholm Ladegård.

Upon a natural, now forested bank, 800 meter east of Abildgård in Engelsholm Sønderskov, lies the castle bank Trældborg or Troldborg Ring which is a plane castle yard, about 1700 m2, surrounded by a circular bank, which is highest to the northwest, while it to the southeast only raises a little above the niveau of the castle yard.Outside the bank is to the west and north a flat moat, which has a depth of ab. 50 cm and a broadth of ab. 2,50 m. There are no findings from the castle bank, it is characterized as a typical prehistoric bygdeborg (a castle and refuge).  

West of Ravning bro were in 1953-56 found heavy oak poles from a bridge.
See special post on my blog Thyra: Ravning bridge


Listed prehistorics: 54 hills and 2 long hills, of which one southeast of Mørup is 43 m long. Several hills are large, two hills south of and 4 south-southwest of  Mørup, two west of Nørup, the very large Kæltringhøj in Gødding skov, one in a forest north of Gødding Mølle, Bredhøj north of Sødover, Sneglehøj southeast of Engelsholm and a hill by Lihme. A large section of the hills lie in a belt along Hærvejen (the army road, the oxen road), which went north-south through the parish.
Demolished or destroyed: a long dolmen at Lihmskov and 43 hills. At Mørup was a large, flat hill with a stone fence. Here was a stone with a wheel cross. An urn-burial-site from Celtic Iron Age is known from Mørup and a settlement from early Iron Age from Ny Nørup.


Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Nørup (ab. 1330 Nythorp); Mørup (1453 Mørderopp, 1524 Mørdrop); L. Lihme (1338 Lymæthorp); St. Lihme (1306 Lym, 1458 Lyme); Lihmskov (ab. 1450 Limeskov); Sødover (1452 Sødouerth, 1483 Sødowerde); Førstballe (1585 Forstbølle, 1610 Førstballj); Gammelby (1638 Gammellbye); Trollerup (1476 Troldorp); Tørrild (1578 Thørild); Småkær (1338 Smakyermark);  Søgårde (1338 Syøgaarth); Engelsholm (1452 Engylstholm, 1462 Enghelholm); Abildgård (1591 Abeldgaard); Gødding Mølle (1476 Gødingh mølle); Sillehus (1664 Sillegaard, 1688 Sielle huus); Gøddinggård (1476 Gødingh gordh).

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964   


photo 2012/2007: grethe bachmann

Nebsager church/ Nebsager kirke, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

The whitewashed church in Nebsager has a Romanesque choir and nave, a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch to the south from 1869. The Romanesque building: the choir and nave, is built in travertine, the choir with no visible plinth, the nave with a not very prominent bevelled plinth . From original details is only trace of the rounded arched north door outside. In the High Gothic period ab 1400s, a cross vault was inserted in the choir with profiled ribs, and later, ab. 1450-75, the nave had three bays cross vaults upon protruding wall pillars. The bottom room with cross vault of the late Gothic tower opens towards the nave in a round arch, and the entrance to the middle storey runs straight in the north wall with an entrance through a flatcurved door. The upper section of the tower is widely re-walled 1762 and 1767 (iron digits), and the pyramidspire is probably from this period with the year 1762 in the weather wing. The porch was built in 1869 instead of an earlier porch. The building was restored in 1946, in the south side with new flatcurved windows with antique glass and with four supporting pillars on the north


New altarpiece 1999 painting by Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen

(pdf) Nebsager kirke

Bricked communion table with panelwork 1946. The altarpiece is from 1893 with copy of a Carl Bloch-painting in a neo Gothic frame. Low, heavy Baroque candelabres ab. 1650. A late Gothic choir arch crucifix is in "Den gamle By" in Århus. A Romanesque granite font in Randers-type with lions in a very flat relief and a base-shaped foot with corner leaves. A south German dish, ab. 1575. An out-sawed board above the font (=fontehimmel) from 1700s. A Renaissance pulpit 1619 with the Evangelists in the corners and painted fields with very naive,but funny Evangelist-symbols from 1745, it was restored in 1945. Bell from 1865, Stallknecht, Horsens. 3 epitaphs from the 1600s  and a peasant-gravestone from 1760

Skerrildgård had probably the same owner as Tirsbæk from the beginning of the 1500s; in 1638 it belonged to Henrik Bille of Tirsbæk (+ 1655), then his son Knud Bille (+ 1684) and his son Henrik Bille (+ 1701). The heirs of the last mentioned deeded in 1703 S. to captain Henrik Brahe of Hvedholm, who in 1704 deeded it to Laurids Christensen Vesterhof of Kongstedlund. Johannes Lindberg sold the farm in 1707 to Peder Christensen Thonboe, who in 1798 got the deed from Laur. Vesterhof and in 1712 sold S. to justitsråd Søren Hofman (ennobled 1749; + 1771), who in 1744 deeded it to his son, the author konferensråd and amtmand Hans de Hofman (+ 1793), who in 1761 deeded S. to kancelliråd Jørgen Hvas de Lindenpalm of Tirsbæk.
Later owners: Hans Helmuth von Lüttichau; Jens Christoffer Bolvig; C.H. v. Wildenrath; Hans Buhl; Peter v. Paulsen; Marcus Nic. Monrad; True Sandberg; John Thornton jun. ; Joh. Heinrich Hoffmann ; Andreas Ludvig Bernth Købke; Hans Jacob Lindahl; Søren Therkelsen; Carl August Ruge; Hans Sørensen Tingleff. Owner in 1964 his widow fru K Tingleff.

The main building is listed in class B. Built ab. 1766. In the garden lies a castle bank , a low rectangular bank (ab. 18 x 20 m),surrounded by moats .

The væbner Jep Ræv in Nebsagerskov is mentioned in 1472 and 1477.

In the parish are mentioned some disappeared farms: Hønkær(1664 Høn Kier); Bjergsgård (1664 Bierisgaard); Hårup (1664 Haarup); and in Nebsager Hovgård (1683 Houffgaarden) and south of Nebsager Mølsted (1664 Mølsted). 

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 4 hills, of which two, Møgelhøj and Burhøj, were situated at Hornsyld.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Nebsager (1401 Niphags sogen, 1458 Nefsager); Hornsyld (1401 Hornsult, 1567 Huornsild); Hyllerød (1502 Høllervdh); Kavben (1664 Kaubechen, 1770s Kaubeen ); Nebsagerskov (1462 Næfsagerskogh); Sindkær (1683 Sind Kier Fald); Skerrildgård (1509 Skærildgardh, Skærilgardh).

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964

Glud church/ Glud kirke, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

The church in Glud, which is mainly whitewashed, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic porch to the south. The Romanesque building is built in raw granite with carved corner ashlars. From original details is the north door, which was brought to light in 1948, with inside kragsten below a horisontal lintel,  and outside three, inside two round-arched windows in the north wall of the nave. The outer south door is in use. The round choir arch is overplastered, and the nave has a flat, plastered ceiling, while the choir in the late Gothic period got two bays of cross-vaults. From the late Gothic period is the porch with a flat-curved door in a point-arched frame. Its gable is re-walled like the western gable of the nave, and the gable of the nave is not whitewashed  but has monk bricks and ashlars. Upon the northside of the choir and the nave are built buttresses. In the top of the choir gable and with small bricks is a small point-arched glare, which possibly reflects a Gothic gable top.

The front of the communion table has got a painted coat of arms and mirrored monogram, probably for Karen Marie Hofman (+ 1760). The altar piece is a pompous carving from 1654 by Peder Jensen Kolding, flanked by winding pillars and figures. In the fields are biblical  figures. It was decorated in 1665 by Hans Schütte and has upon the backside a parish clerk-list until 1881. The chalice and the desk were after the vicarage-fire 1740 repaired at the expense of Marie Margrethe Dreyer, the wife of Dean Poul Glud. Baluster-shaped Baroque candelabres ab. 1625-50. A good late Gothic choir arch crucifix. An ore-cast font-basin, cast by J Lehmeyer in Glückstadt 1702, upon a granite foot, shaped as a Gothic Gotland font-foot. A south German dish ab. 1575, later engraved initials INR  CVA. The pulpit is early Baroque and has biblical reliefs. It is according to a carved date from 1637 like the contemporary sounding board. A new Threemaster church ship "Christianshavn". A heavy octagonal iron-bound money block, probably from the 1600s. A klingpung in painted tin from the late 1700s (klingpung is a purse with a long shaft to collect money during church service). A colossal priest list in unpainted oak from ab. 1960 with rambling reliefs commemorating Johs Ferdinand Fenger. The bell, which hangs in a bell tower southeast of the choir, was cast 1578 by Matias Benninck in Lübeck.  Epitaphs from the 1700s and 1800s. In the porch a gravestone for the family Glud's ancestor, Dean Søren Andersen Jelling. In the dike towards east is a large portal with a flat-curved gate and a round-arched driving gate, all with tiled roofs.

Jensgård belonged to Oluf Mouridsen Krognos who willed it to Pernille Oxe, his widow Anne Hardenberg deeded the farm to Pernille in 1573. Pernille Oxe was the widow after Otte Rud of Møgelkær, and after her death in 1576 came J. to the son Johan Rud of Møgelkær, who died childless in 1609. The farm was inherited by his sister's son Knud Gyldenstierne, whose widow Sophie Lindenow brought it with Møgelkær to Henrik Rantzau (+ 1674 ;, when she died childless 1666 J. came to several heirs of hers - some of it came to her sister's son Christen Skeel of Bangsbo, and when he died unmarried in 1670, the farm was further divided. A small part came in 1671 to Ane Ramel, who after her husband kansler Peder Reedz's death in 1676 exchanged J. to Jacob Arenfelt, whose brother Jørgen Arenfelt of Rugård in 1690 deeded J. with estate to rådmand in Horsens, Chr. Nielsen Thonbo (+ 1707) whose sons Niels and Peder Thonbo in 1708 deeded 2/3 of J. and some estate to their brother Matthias Fogh (+ 1716). His widow Karen Marie Hofman (+ 1760) deeded in 1743 the farm with forest, taxes and estate to her son kancelllisekretær Thøger Hofman Fogh, after whose death in 1748 J. with additions came on auction and was sold to Marie Margrethe Dreyer (+ 1754), widow after dean P. Glud. Her son kancelliråd Jakob Glud (+ 1793) had in 1772 allowance on to be the owner of J. with freedom from nobility. His widow Marie Cathrine Juul (+ 1802) deeded in 1795 the farm to her son cand. theol. kammerråd Poul Glud (+ 1842), who in 1830 deeded J. with Glud, Rårup and Hjarnø church and full estate to the son exam. jur. kammerråd J.A.Glud (+ 1884). He sold it in 1867 with Glud church to his son cand. jur. justitsråd P.G.Glud; after his death in 1913 it came to his brother's son Poul Chr. Glud (+ 1944) and then to Poul Axel Glud (+ 1947) and to his brother M.C. Glud. (who was the owner in 1964). 

The main building and the farm building is one of the best preserved and grand half-timbered plan in Denmark from the middle of the 1700s. Main building built in 1753. Above the main door a sandstone-plate with inscription from Poul Glud and wife's take over of the farm in 1795. The farm buildings are contemporary with the main building. In the forest a memorial for the family Glud's 200 year old ownership of Jensgård.

Jon Kvas deeded in 1324 his estate in Glud to the parish clerk Niels Rampe; Lave Jensen of Holm deeded 1349 his estate in the same place to bishop Svend in Århus. 

Glud Museum, foto Google earth.

Glud Museum was established in 1911 by the folkemindesamler ( folklore-collector) Søren Knudsen, who managed it until his death in 1955. Various buildings are rebuilt here, like a farm from 1662, a house from Hjarnø, smitties from Jensgård and As, a fisher's house from Strandhuse, a large agriculture hall and a magasine. In the museum are considerable collections of both prehistorics and things from the almue, a very special and magnificent, wellkept collection of agricultural implements from Bjerre herred (district).

Upon a field in Sønderby, called Kirkeager (church field) were found monk bricks and a Roman stone lamp.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish but there was a long dolmen, a hill with a stone chamber, another hill and two stone circles. Pontoppidan's Atlas claims that there earlier in the parish were many gravehills and "heathen altars" ( meaning dolmens).

At Snaptun were in low water found several things from the Ertebøllekulturen. At Marielund were found several graves from early Roman Iron Age.
A special stone for a bellows with a carved face mask from Viking period was found at Snaptun.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Glud (1324 Gluut); Over Glud (1493 Offuerglud); Øster Bisholt (1462 Bysholt, 1688 Østerbidsholt); Nørby (1403 Nørrebye); Østrup (1403 Ostorp; 1405 Østrup); Stenvadgårde (1546 Stenvad); Allesgårde (1664 Alliesgaaerd); Jensgård (ab. 1300 Ynes, Ines, 1462 Ænsgard).

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964

photo Glud: grethe bachmann
photo Glud Museum: Google earth.   

Give church/ Give kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt

Give kirke, foto 2003: grethe bachmann

The whitewashed church in Give has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower-bottom, a tower from 1905 to the west and a porch, probably also from 1905 to the north. The Romanesque building is in travertine; the nave stands on a faintly marked double plinth with a bevel edge in granite and travertine. The north door is in use and the south door is re-opened. Upon the north side of the nave are kept two round-arched windows, upon the choir a similar to the north and east. The south side of the choir is completely re-walled. The round-arched choir arch stands inside with narrow kragsten. The choir and nave have flat ceilings. A niche in the north wall of the choir with a pillar is probably of new date. In the late Gothic period a tower was built to the west in monk bricks with a cross-vaulted bottom room and a pointed tower arch. In 1780 it was very reduced and in a main restoration in 1905 it was even more reduced, down to the wall height of the nave -  and west of this a new tower was built with glare-decorated step-gables to east-west. The porch, which also has a glare-decorated step-gable, is probably from the same time. A sacristy at the northside of the choir was broken down, it is not known when.

Give kirke, foto: Google earth

In a repair 1904-05 some Romanesque frescoes from the last half of the 1100s were brought to light on all walls of the choir, but only the frescoes on the east wall were preserved and restored. They were re-restored in 1932. Upon the choir arch is a late Gothic vine-decoration. In a break-down of the communion table were found pieces of a glass painting, probably from ab. 1300 with runic inscription, which makes no sense. Is now in the National Museum together with a reliquary from the table, which has been replaced by a new, bricked table. A crucifix is altar decoration. The former altar piece, a painting from 1849, hangs in the church. Heavy Baroque candelabres with coat of arms and initials for Laurids Ebbesen (Udsen) and Sophie Staverskov. A Romanesque granite font, cylindric basin with arcades of imaginary animals and rope sticks upon an almost truncated foot, also with rope sticks and arcades. A smooth brass dish from 1600s. A small pulpit in Renaissance, ab. 1600, with Corinthic corner pillars. The stairway to the pulpit is cut through the triumph wall. A stool gable in the northside has the year 1580. A gallery from 1623 is furnished as an organ-gallery. Bell from 1637 by Felix Fuchs

Farre kirke, foto Google earth.

Farre church is built 1955 as a mainly traditional building with a choir and nave, a tower to the west. The altar piece is a freso-painting. Upon the site was once a church which was abandoned.

The branch church in Vorslunde was built 1954. It is a whitewashed tiled building , with apse, choir and nave and a low western tower. Altar piece is a carved work by a local carver Olaf Rye Ottosen.

Søndersthoved was owned by Joseph Rekhals in 1512, in 1553 it belonged to Per Knudsen (Glambek), in 1570 to Enevold Lauridsen (Udsen) and in 1578 his widow Inger Terkelsdatter (Væbner). In 1624 it belonged to Erik Krabbe of Østergård, whose brother-in-law Otte Kruse (+ 1628) in 1625 gave Laurids Ebbesen (Udsen) a life's letter on the farm. Otte Kruse's widow, Sophie Staverskov (Glambek) of Donneruplund, married 1635 Laurids Ebbesen (Udsen) and sold in 1652 together with her stepson Mogens Kruse of Spøttrup S. to Jørgen Lykke of Buderupholm. He exchanged it 1658 with 9 farms and small houses to his sister Johanne Lykke, after whose death ab. 1660 he at once outbought his brother-in-law, Erik Kruse, and in 1661 sold it to the Crown. In 1664 it was bought by colonel Johan Liebreich and belonged in 1671 to his widow,  and then to the son-in-law major Otto Jacob v. Schwerin of Bjerre, and in 1688 his widow Helene Juliane Liebreich, in 1690 S. was transferred to Mads Nielsen Rosenlund of Dybvad and manager at Tyrrestrup Laurids Friis (+ 1699), who in 1694 deeded S. to hospital-manager Ch. Nielsen Toldorph, Horsens (+ 1705), who in 1696 deeded it to captain Kay Blome of Refstrup, who the same year transferred the deed to his sisters Margrethe Elisabeth and Anne Dorete Blome, the last mentioned was married to Alexander Grubbe of Donneruplund (+ 1700). In 1703 S. was owned by kammerråd Jens Risom (+ ab. 1720) married to Johanne Marie Cassius (+ 1742);  in 1755 Søren Seidelin deeded S. and Refstrup to birkedommer Lars Thistrup, who the same year deeded S. to Niels Jørgensen Donnerup (+ 1820).
Later various owners, about 22 owners from 1755-1900. 1900: the family Ottosen.
 Main building in red bricks from the end of 1900s.

Donneruplund belonged in the Middle Ages to Ribe bishopric, the væbner Palle Bang in D. in 1512 was probably a vasal. After the reformation the farm went to the Crown, who in 1537 exchanged it to Palle Bang's son-in-law Oluf Staverskov (Glambek)( + 1586), whose son Hartvig Staverskov (Glambek) then  owned it. He died here in 1608, his widow Birgitte Iversdatter Vind died in 1610, and since they had no children, D. came to his brother's daughters Anne and Sophie Staverskov (Glambek), of whom the last mentioned in 1630 became the sole owner. She married in 1635 Laurids Ebbesen (Udsen)(+ 1646), who in 1638 is written of D. and still lived in 1668. In 1651 D. was bought by Ellen Skram, 1637 married to Alexander Grubbe of Vedbygård (+ 1700), who in 1684 deeded D. with 20 farms and small houses to her brother's son Otte Skram of Todbøl. In 1689 it was bought by lieutenant Casper Vilhelm Lentz and in 1718 Claus Jessen deeded it to Christen Clausen, Ribe, who in 1719 at auction sold D. to Niels Andersen Vang (or Vonge) (+ 1756). He deeded the farm in 1755 to his son Anders Nielsen Vang, later of Hastrup, who in 1761 deeded it to his son-in-law Anders Bagger, later of Hastrup, who already at auction in 1760 had sold D. to Christen Pedersen of Hvejsel Lundgård (+ 1797). He sold D. in 1785 to kancelliråd Malte Chr. Friis, earlier of Lynderupgård, who outparcelled the farm and shortly before his death in 1797 deeded it to Rasmus Pedersen of Rugballegård.
Various owners, about 15-16 from 1797-1913. Owner in the 1960s: Elmer Damkjær.   

The main building Donneruplund lies in a low section of a castle bank of the first manor. There are no informations about the earlier buildings.  The present building is a yellowwashed house. The cellar is partly in monk bricks and possibly with earlier building sections.

Ullerup was earlier an independent parish, still mentioned in 1419; U.(Vghælthorp) church is mentioned in the church-list from Ribe ab. 1330, but not in the list from the churches in Jelling-syssel ( a district) in 1534. In 1638 was still a piece of wall in travertine and the graves on the churchyard were still seen. The place is fenced and listed and a memorial stone was erected in 1921. There was also once a church at Farre and Kirkebjerg which have now disappeared.

Three sacred springs were known in the parish, one at the dike of Give church, one at Møldam Huse and Helgenkilde at Bæksgårde.

Give was before the railway came in 1894 only an ordinary village with 8 farms, ab. 20 houses and two grocery stores, but there were from old times held a couple of big markets, maybe they were originally markets by the sacred springs (Danish: kildemarkeder), and since the beginning of the 1880s here was also a place for the thing (tingsted). When the railway arrived and especially after the connection to the town Herning the town Give grew fast.

listed prehistorics: 
28 hills of which Gladhøj northwest of Give, Rævehøj east of Give plantation and a hill in the plantation (in a group of 7) are rather large.

demolished or destroyed:
258 hills; especially large groups have been at Neder Donnerup, Højgårde, Bøllund, Bæksgård and north of Give. In the excavation of Taskhøj at Farre were found several graves, among others a weapon grave from Celtic Iron Age and several graves from Roman Iron Age, one with the trace from a dødehus (death house). Iron Age's settlements are known from the place of Give svineslagteri and Marienlund. A primitive wooden plough (ard) from Iron Age was found at Donneruplund . At  Store Hestlund was found a large, pretty decorated vessel from dyssetid (dolmen period).

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:

Give /1280 Gyghæ, ab. 1330 Gyghe); Farre (1475 Fary, 1610 Farre); Store Vorslunde (1638 Waslunde, 1664 Woszlund); Hedegård (1471 Hiegard, 1512 Heegard); Bøllund (1461 Byllundt, 1512 Bylund); Neder Donnerup (1503 Dwndrop, 1537 Neder Dummerup); Ullerup (ab. 1330 Vghælthorp); Over- and Neder Sillesthoved (1610 Sellesthoodt); Bregnhoved (1512 Brednæhowet); Bæksgård (1578 Becksgaard); Store and Lille Hestlund (1512 Hestlund, 1610 Lilhestlund, 1664 Stoer Hestlund); Donneruplund (1512 Døndrøplwnd); Søndersthoved (1512 Syndersthowet gard); Store Nygård (1610 Nyegaard); Loftlund (1499 Lotlund); Givskovgård (1638 Gyffskou); Tromborg (1664 Thromborre); Store Mosegård (1664 Moeszgaard); Ulkær (1512 Wlkiermøll).  

  
 Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt 1964.


  
 

Bredsten church/ Bredsten kirke, Tørrild herred, Vejle amt.

Bredsten kirke, foto 2012: grethe bachmann

Bredsten church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic but very rebuilt tower to the west and a porch to the south, probably from 1738-39. It is now furnished as a mortuary. The whole building is marked by a rebuild in 1738-39. The Romanesque sections, the choir and nave, are built in travertine without a visible plinth. In the wallwork are considerable numbers of monk bricks, but since characteristic details are missing, it is difficult to determine, whether this mix of materials is original. From details are only seen the bricked-up round-arched south door, which stands as a deep niche towards the porch, and the smooth round choir-arch. In the late Gothic period was added to the west a tower in red monk bricks with a cross-vaulted bottom room, which now functions as a porch. It has not kept significant original details. In 1738-39 the church owner, etatsråd Lichtenberg, let make a rebuild of the church. The outer walls of the tower were face-walled with small bricks, its vault got plaster profiles and the high spire with an onion shaped middle-section was built. Inside was inserted new vaults in the nave and choir, which east gable got curved Baroque steps and broad round-arched glares. The porch with a similar gable and a barrel vault was built probably from the ground. The porch was in 1911 furnished as a mortuary, and the entrance was placed by the tower room. The building is whitewashed and has leaden roofs.

Bredsten kirke, foto Google Earth

The inventory belongs with few exceptions to the Lichtenberg rebuild. A beautiful, embroidered altar cloth from 1651 is now in Vejle Museum, and a copy from 1951 hangs upon the choir wall. The altar piece is a pompous building in Rococo from 1742 with closed stools in both sides and a painting from 1925 by Rud Petersen. The original altar painting hangs in the church. Baroque candelabres from ab. 1700 in a slender baluster upon a heavy foot and with a flat light-bowl. A very fine late Gothic choir-arch crucifix is spoiled by new gilding. A Romanesque granite font, which smooth basin rests upon a profiled round foot above a square base. South German dish from ab. 1575. A carved fontehimmel (sounding board above the font) is probably from ab. 1740. The square pulpit with sounding board is contemporary to the altar piece and with large biblical figures. From the same period are the pews, which gables all have the carved coat of arms of Lichtenberg.

Kjeldkær belonged in 1366 to Jacob Jensen,  a brother of Lars Jonsen (Panter) (see Skibet church, the farm Kærsgård);  in 1387 to the brothers Anders and Jens Pedersen (Panter), who then pawned it to Jacob Willesen (Rodsteen), who wrote himself of K. in 1406; his son Jes Jepsen (Rodsteen) took over the pawn, but the farm was later redeemed and belonged then to the above mentioned Jens Pedersen's daughter-in-law Mette Pedersdatter (Present) who, when widow, married first Ejler Hardenberg, then hr. Engelbrecht Bydelsbak. The first mentioned owned the farm in 1460-65, and after his son Erik Hardenberg's death in 1500 his widow Anne Rønnow could in 1505 exchange her 1/6 part of K. to Ebbe Strangesen (mentioned below). Grethe Bydelsbak was married to Claus Bryske, who in 1483-85 was part-owner of K. The daughter Kirsten Bryske was married 1) to Ebbe Strangesen (+ 1507), who in 1500 required K. by law , 2) to Henneke von Ahlefeldt (+ 1541) who also required K by law in 1517. Karen Bryske was married to Jørgen Daa, who in 1500 by arbitral was allowed to redeem K, which was pawned at that time. His children sold in 1523 their part of K. to Mogens Gøye, who was married to Mette Albrechtsdatter Bydelsbak, and who in 1532 seemingly owned the whole farm. Although Jørgen Daa's two sons in 1543 sold a part to Claus Bryske's daughter-in-law Kirstine Ulfstand, but in an agreement from 1549 she had to renounce K. to Mogens Gøye's son-in-law, the famous Peder Oxe, who in 1574 exchanged K. to the Crown. (K. was since 1532 split into two farms). In 1578 the Crown exchanged them to Laurids Skram of Hastrup (+ 1587); K. came probably with his daughter Lisbeth Skram to rigsråd Henrik Below of Spøttrup (+ 1606), and then to the son-in-law Christian Thott of Boltinggård (+ 1617), whose son Henrik Thott of Boltinggård in 1651 and 1662 owned K. In 1671 K. belonged to Siver von Lützow, in 1688 it belonged to the son Augustus (Asmus) von Lützow, who in 1694 deeded K. to manager at K., Gøde Hansen, whose widow in 1718 at auction sold K. to Hans Folsach, (later of Gjessinggård), who in 1731 sold K. to Gerhard de Lichtenberg, and with his farm Engelsholm K. came in 1754 to the son-in-law Christen Linde, and in 1767 to his brother-in-law, Hans Henrik de Lichtenberg of Bidstrup.

Later owners: Hans Severin Steenstrup; Laurids Amnitzbøll; Hans Henrik G. Halling; the family Godt; Hans Jensen, Odense; Vingsted fabrikker; A. Andersen Kjeldahl; Karl Christian Lerche; P.Horn. From 1959: E.R.S.Ulbæk.
The main building lies upon a small hill in a beautiful forested scenery surrounded by lowlands. Tbe building is yellow with white details. 

Ebbe Lille from Bredsten is mentioned in 1338. Peder Jonsen (Panter?) of Ravning in 1366.

At Kærbølling were two sacred springs Sølvkilde and Stødbækkilde.

Slotsskansen (castle bank)  in Tørskind was according to legend made by borgherren (lord of the castle) at Koldborg in Vork.

A settlement Alind (1488 Alen bygistedh) belonged to Ravning and was probably situated at Vejle å (river). At Engelsholm was a farm Grundem (1591 Grundem.)  

Listed prehistorics: 14 hills, of which several are rather large: one east of Ravning where were a group of 6, 4 at Balle, one in the northeast corner of the parish and Molbohøj in Ravning skov (forest).
Demolished or destroyed: 29 hills, according to a report from 1638 there was west of Kærbølling a longdolmen, and east of Stensgårde a large hill, edged with stones: Bøgehøj, but their place is not known today.

In Balle was in a overploughed hill found a single grave from Stone Age with war axe, *flække, amber pearl and imprint of the skeleton. 

* flække is an oblong piece of flint with parallel edges from a flint block, which was used for making various things, like knives and tools etc.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Bredsten (ab. 1330 Breethsteen); Balle (1460 Bali); Lildfrost (1547 Lille Frøstemark, 1573 Lille Frosteby, 1664 Lilfrøst); Ravning (1366 Rafning); Kærbølling (1460 Kærbølling, Kærbølingh); Søskov (1476 Søøskoff); Ollerup (1460 Ollerup); Bredstenlund (1460 Lwndh, 1578 Brestenlund); Stensgårde (last half of 1400s Stensgaardtt); Tørskind (1524 Tyskynd, 1570 Tuskind By); Kjeldkær (1366 Kiældkyær, 1387 Keldkær).



Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

photo 2012 Bredsten kirke : grethe bachmann
photo Bredsten kirke: Google Earth.

Brande church/ Brande kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt.

The whitewashed, tiled church in Brande has a cernel of a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west. The church is strongly marked by a rebuild in 1939, where it was extended with a side-nave and a sacristy to the north. The Romanesque building, the choir and nave, are built in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth. From original details are three Romanesque windows, one to the east, and a bricked-up window the north and one to the south. The round choir-arch has kragsten, but is very scrapped.  In the rebuild was for a short period built a cross-vault in the choir, and the barrel-vault of the nave was replaced by a beamed ceiling. Most of the north wall was removed, and a side-nave was built, which outside has three pointed gables, added with a sacristy at the northside with a fourth pointed gable. In the southdoor was inserted a new pillar-portal with a "Romanesque" tympanum, and the porch from the reformation period was rebuilt. The late Gothic tower, which was only marked little by the rebuild in 1939, has a cross-vaulted bottom room, which opens to the nave in a pointed tower-arch. Its wallwork was mainly rebuilt in 1724 and probably also in 1737.

Brande church, photo Google Earth.

The brick communion table has a reliquary. It is covered by a panelwork from 1624 with biblical paintings. The altarpiece is a carved work in slightly blurred Renaissance with large evangelist figures. It is probably contemporary to the panel of the communion table;  it has original paintings. Brass candelabres in Baroque, balustershaped with big ball joints. A seven-branched candle-stick, given in 1946 by R. and J. Søndergaard. A wrougth iron kneeler from 1939. The Romanesque granite font, which is brutally dismantled, has a smooth basin with a profiled edge and a cubic foot. An engraved Netherland dish ab. 1625 with a lion in a band with inscription: D. Henricus Coster. A pulpit in Renaissance from the beginning of the 16th century with the coat of arms of Kaas. Upon the corner evangelist figures and in the fields biblical reliefs. Upon a stool gable inscriptions: Hans Lange, Karen Clausdatter, 1604 ( owners of Brandholm). A small crucifix group from the 1600s. An apostle group in alabaster in the sacristy is probably an Italian work from the Baroque period. In the new side-nave is a door wing from ab. 1550 with a post hinge. Two bells, both cast by "De Smithske Støberier", Aalborg, one from 1948 in the memory of 5/5 1945. In the tower room some coffin plates. In the porch two worn-out 1700s gravestones.

Filialkirken i Skærlund (a branch church) built 1895-96 in red bricks. Altar decoration a simple wooden cross. A South German baptismal dish from ab. 1550-75 with the coat of arms of Habsburg.

Filialkirken i Uhre,  (a branch church),  built 1917-20 in red bricks. Inventory in typical skønvirke-stil ( art Noveau).  

Brandholm was owned by Peder Terkelsen Væbner, who got it with his wife Else Juul. He died in 1587 the last male of his family, and B. was inherited by his paternal cousin's son Claus Strangesen of Nørholm (+ 1596), who was also the last male of his family. His son-in-law Hans Lange of Lunderup sold B. to Bendix Rantzau (+ ab. 1616), who was written of the farm in 1608-09. In 1608 his father-in-law Albert Skeel killed the manager of the farm,  and he was executed in 1609, his daughter Kirsten Skeel later married Peder Bille of Lindved, she owned in 1610 part of B. The farm went to Jørgen Below of Hastrup (+ childless 1628), whose sister Sophie Below (+ 1641) in 1631 sold it to her son-in-law Otte Gøye, who at once exchanged it to his brother Eskil Gøye for his part in Tureby. In 1638 the farm still belonged to Eskil Gøye, but in 1641 to Herluf Mormand, who in 1647 had to pawn it to his children Henrik, Sibylle and Birgitte Gøye, the last mentioned's husband Henning Quitzow and the two first mentioned got in 1661 deed on it from Claus Sparre of St. Tanggård. B. had been demolished during the war. (Swedish wars) Henrik Gøye died unmarried in 1668, Henning Quitzow was judged from the farm because of tax debt, but he got it back in 1670 from the king, and his widow laid it in 1682 out to her sister Sibylle Gøye and her husband Conrad v Hövelen, who also had it judged from him. They got it back in 1687 and gave it at once to their son-in-law Niels Parsberg (+ 1710), whose son Preben Parsberg still owned it in 1717.
Later owners: Christen Nielsen of Assersbøl, Jens Nielsen Skjærlund, Claus Cordtsen, Johan Arensberg in Hvejsel, Jens Risom in Brande, Christen Handrup, Niels Pedersen Hvidberg, Laurids Jensen Brande, Niels Jensen Kiersgaard, Otte Arrevad, Th. Chr. Christensen (the last mentioned in 1860.)

Hr. Lars Jonsen (Panter) gave in 1329 the farm Lund for a præbende to Ribe domkirke. (Ribe cathedral)
(præbende = income).

Peder Esgersen (Bryning) deeded in 1420 the farm Dørslund to the bishopric in Ribe. 

Brande town with vicarage almost burnt down in 1780.

 old lignite deposits

at the old power station

Near Brande are large lignite deposits.

Listed prehistorics: 101 hills and 4 longhills; several hills are large, at Brandlund lies the 5 m high Store Stendalshøj and 3 other large hills. Upon the top of Sandfeld Bjerge (a hillside) is a large hill in Hundehøj plantation called Hundehøj, at Dørslund the hill Sortehøj; south of Uhre Brogårdshøj and Pasbjerg, at Flø Heath a large flat hill in a group of 17 hills. Northwest of Dørslund lies a group of 11 hills, and at Lundfod close to the eastern parish  border a group of 6 hills.

Demolished or destroyed: 142 hills, a big part of these hills were single graves, several have been excavated.

At Uhre was found an amber jewelry from Stone Age. From Pedersborg origins a Bronze Age sacrifice jewelry find: brosche and hængekar (for the belt).

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Brande (1329 Brynied, ab. 1330 Brvnld, late 1300s Brønyld, 1438 Brunlæ, 1567 Brandle); St. Langkær (1524 Langker Mark, 1610 Langkier); Skærlund (1638 Skierlund); Uhre (1329 Vræ, 1610 Wffre); Brandlund (1329 Lund, 1610 Brandlund); Dørslund (1420 Dysling, Døseling); Flø (1610 Fløe); Blæsbjerg (1664 Bleszbierre); Lundfod (1632 Lundtfoed); Arvad (1638 Arrevad); Grarup (1488 Graarup); Skerris (1573 Skerrits); Nørre Askær (1610 Askier, 1683 Nørre Askier); Sønder Askær (1683 Synder Arszkier); Hyvild (1578 Hyffuitgaard, 1638 Hyvild); Risbjerg (1524 Riisberre Mark, 1610 Riisberj); Tarp (1638 Tarp, 1664 Thorp); Sandfeld (1610 Sandfeild); Sandfeld Bjerge (1664 Bierre, 1683 Sandfeld bierge); Brande Harrild (1352 Harride, 1610 Harild, 1664 Wester Harild); Lille Langkær (1638 Lill Langkier); Alkærlund (1664 Algierlundt); Kragsighuse (1329 Braksuk, late 1300s Kraaksik); Brandholm (1638 Braandholm); Usseltoft (1664 Wszelltofft); Husumgård (1664 Huszum); Brogård (1664 Brødgaard, 1683 Broegaard).  
   
Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

3 x photo Brande 2006: grethe bachmann
1 x photo from Google Earth.

Skibet church/Skibet kirke and Haraldskær, Vejle amt.

Skibet church 2007

Skibet church 2003

The whitewashed church in Skibet has a Romanesque choir and nave with a probably late Gothic western extension, a sacristy at the north side of the choir and a porch to the south. The Romanesque building is in travertine  without any visible plinth. The extended south door is in use, while the round-arched north door is bricked-up. A tympanum, which probably origins from the south door, is excellent designed. It is a flat relief of a lion eating a hare, it is inserted in the bottom of the west gable.

tympanum inserted in wall

Several Romanesque windows have been preserved and partly re-opened, in the choir one to the east and one to the north, in the nave two to the north and one to the south. The round choir arch inside is preserved. The nave has after a restoration in 1951-52 again a beamed ceiling instead of a barrel vault, probably from the 1700s. A cross vault was inserted in the choir in the late Gothic period, and at the north side was built a cross vaulted sacristy, which was later cut down into a half-roof building, which to the east has a window in a point-arched frame. At the same time the nave was extended to the west, but the whole building is so whitewashed that it is not possible to decide  something accurate. A bricked-up point-arched window in the south wall of the nave is probably from the same period like the cernel in the wallwork of the porch. The look of the building is marked by a rebuild in the middle of the 1700s.
 

Skibet church

the horsemen frieze

the horsemen frieze

The building had a restoration in 1951-52. At this occassion were several frescoes found from various periods. Upon the eastern wall of the nave are late Romanesque frescoes, in the round-arched fields are horsemen, in the north window of the choir a foliage from the same time, in the choir vault are late Gothic leaf decorations and a prism decoration around the sacristy door in grey and black. Upon the eastern part of the north wall in the nave and south of the choir arch are undecidable paintings, and in the south side's Gothic window a female saint with a sword. The frescoes were restored in 1954 by E Lind.

See article on Thyra-blog about the frescoes in Skibet church: The Legend of the Grail  

A new or heavily restored communion table in travertine. The altar decoration from 1952 is a wooden cross with a lam in the crown of thorns. The front of the communion table is from 1550. Late Gothic, softly profiled ore candelabres. A Romanesque granite font with lions and leaf decoration of the Sjørslev type, on the foot are bear-heads. A small south German dish ab. 1575 soldered into a large brass dish.Pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600, with Tuscany corner pillars, rectangular fields and cornices and modern greyish decoration. In the nave two chandeliers, one given by Chr. Linde and wife in 1755, the other by parish bailiff J.P.Sørensen. A threemaster ship-model "Håbet" of newer date. A large painting signed S. Viggo Pedersen 1932. An iron bound door wing 1664 with parish priest Jakob Svendsen's name is now at the National Museum. A bell of cast iron from Bochum in a bell-frame east of the church .

prism decoration above door.

Haraldskær 2007

Haraldskær belonged 1434-48 to Niels Friis, who is said to own H. via his wife Ellen Moltke.  It belonged later to the son hr. Anders Friis (+ ab. 1510), in 1543 the widow Bodil Steenfeld, then the son Iver Friis (+ 1557) and his son rigsråd Albert Friis  (+ 1601). His daughter Karen Friis (+ 1635) married Truid Bryske ( + 1653) who was written of H. until 1621, but at this time his economy broke down, and in 1622 his sister-in- law Lisbeth Friis made an attempt to buy H. "since it was a pretty farm and it had always been her parents' farm". However the Danish Rigsråd judged the farm to belong to her guardian,  the brother-in-law Frederik Munk (Lange), who at the same time came to be liable for another sister, Anne Friis' big debt, and he also ended up with big economic difficulties. Already before his death in 1637 his son Jørgen Munk (Lange) wrote himself of the farm, but he had a feud with his father, and in 1637 the mother Sofie Friis complained to the king about "that he had completely taken over the mentioned farm and estate" and "he had abused her with many improper words". Sofie Friis tried to keep the farm together and bought in 1651 a part from her daughter's son-in-law Claus Sparre. At her death 1655 H. was however divided among several persons. Jørgen Munk had  - because of debt - to give his part to Vincents Bille, who 1616 sold it to Manderup Abildgaard, whose wife Hedvig Arenfeldt the same year bought Jørgen Munk's sister Sofie's 1/6 of the farm. Another sister, Anne Munk, deeded in 1677 the biggest part of H. with 6 farms and houses to colonel Konrad v. d. Brincken of Fårup (+ 1696); the son Godske v. d. Brincken (+ 1730) outbought his siblings from H  (+ 1730), and at an auction after him in 1731 it was sold to major Pierre d'Andischon, who established same factories here. At an auction after him in 1751 H. was bought  by Gerhard de Lichtenberg, who in 1754 deeded Engelsholm, Kjeldkær and H. to his son-in-law Christen Linde, who 1767 sold the 3 farms to his brother-in-law Hans Henrik de Lichtenberg of Bidstrup.

Later owners: Ove Bernhardt v. Lüttichau, Henrik Schmith, Severin Laurentius Lautrup, Johannes Ditlev Rahr, Nicolaj Nyholm, August Theodor Schütte, Danqvart Neergaard, Oluf Henrik de Bang, Hjalmar de Bang, C.M. Hess. 1962  brothers C. and M.Hess. 

The main building is listed in class A.

see article about Haraldskær on this blog:  Haraldskær 

farm building Haraldskær

Kølholt belonged in 1485 to hr. Anders Friis of Haraldskær, in 1622 to his great-grandchild Lisbeth Albertsdatter Friis, who got the king's allowance to give the farm for life to her sister Karen Friis. In 1662 it was a farm under Lerbæk, but before 1697 Nicolaj Nissen of Rugballegård sold it to Søren Joensen, he rebought it in 1704, but in 1718 Søren Joensen's widow Sophie Amalie Bojsen deeded it to baron Christian Gyldenkrone of Vilhelmsborg, who in 1730 sold K. with property to the Crown. Since Sophie Amalie Bojsen had reserved the repurchase, the king had to renounce it in 1733 to her son Nicolaj Joensen. The Crown had now purchase on it and could in 1738 at an auction sell it to Gerhard de Lichtenberg, who 1748 sold it to Niels Thomsen (+ 1763).
Later owners: Chr. Hansen from Århus, Ernst Braat, Jes Hansen af Skølvad, Mads Joh. Buch, J.G. Schwartz, P.U.F. Schiøtt, Chr. Hansted, P.I.W. Schandorff, C.J.Linde, Luplau, P. Lorenzen, Schlesinger, Mar. Andersen, S. Jacobsen, grev Helge Ernst Knuth, N. Jørgensen, C.J. Fynbo, Lottrup, owner in 1962: S.A. Petersen.
 The main building is a pretty small halftimbered building from the beginning of the 1700s.   

Niels Friis of Haraldskær wrote himself in 1432 of Skibet. Anne Munk, later of Haraldskær wrote herself 1651 of Knabberup, in 1687 fru Birgitte Arenfeldt deeded her farm K. to Conrad v. d. Brincken of Haraldskær.     
Kærsgård belonged in 1469 to Lars Jonsen (Panter) (+ 1340) and was probably later under Kjeldkær where the part-owners hr Joachim Hardenberg (1469) Claus Bryske (1483 and 1485) and Ebbe Strangesen (1500) owned K. Later it belonged to Niels Friis of Haraldskær (+ 1557).

Vejle Å (river) at Haraldskær

Vejle å ( the river) was earlier navigable all the way up to Skibet where it is said there was a harbour for small  vessels. 

A sacred spring Haraldskær Kilde was situated between the main manor and the factory close to the river.

At Trædballe, close to the border of Vejle city, was once a castle bank, probably origining from the above mentioned Kærsgaard. In the priest report from 1638 a locality "Rodzkier" is mentioned, later called Borgvold. Sofiesminde skov (forest) west of Borgvold has also the earlier name Kærsgaards skov. The castle bank was demolished at the building of the railway, which is now closed. A suburb of Vejle has spread across the castle bank and there are no visible traces.

In the priest report of 1638 the castle bank Boeldal in Vilstrup skov (forest) is mentioned. The place is called Bommerhave in Pont. Atlas "Bommergaard". The place is shown in the northern edge of Vilstrup skov south of Gulgaard. There are no traces of fortifications, the castle bank might have been destroyed by clay-digging, but there are monk bricks at the spot.

The farm-building Ravnsbøl, which is mentioned under Haraldskær, was established from a disappeared village Ravnsbøl (1485 Rawenssbøl), which land in the 1600s were laid under Haraldskær. At Haraldskær was also a farm Glasbjerg (1513 Glarberig, 1664 Glaszbierg), which consisted of two bol (small farms). They were laid under Haraldskær in 1744 and the buildings were broken down. A farm Hyllund is also mentioned in the parish in the year 1683.


Listed prehistorics: a large but somewwhat down-digged hill Haraldshøj west of Jennum.
Demolished or destroyed: a passage grave at Haraldskær mark (field) and a hill at Jennum. In priest reports from 1638 are mentioned round dolmens at Knabberup mark, east of Haraldskær and north of Skibet church, but their place is not known.

In a moor at Haraldskær was in 1835 found a bog mummy of a woman with hairnet and leather cape. There was at that time an opinion that this was the Norwegian queen Gunhild, but today's examinations have proved the age. The bog mummy  is from  490 BC = in the beginning of Iron Age. She is now at a museum. Upon Holmen in the river valley was a settlement from Stone Age.


Names from the Middle Ages and the 1600s:
Skibet (ab. 1330 Skipwith); Jennum (1478 Jennwm, 1480 Jenum); Knabberup (1488 Knabdrup, 1502 Knabdrvp); Trædballe (1664 Thredballehuus); Slelde (1475 Slælllæ, Slælle, 1552 Slelde); Nørre Vilstrup (1459 Wilstorp, 1524 Wilstorp thet Nørre); Rue (1452 Rweholm, 1664 Rue); Haraldskær (1434 Harildkerr, 1448 Harilsker); Kvakmølle (1664 Quach Mølle), Neder Knabberupgård (1664 Neder Knaberup); Over Knabberupgård, (1664 Offuer Knaberup); Kølholt (1485 Kiølholdt); Østengård (1502 Østengaard.)


Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.  

photo 2003/2007/2008/2009: grethe bachmann