Asdal Manor and Asdal Church, Region North Jutland, Vendsyssel

Asdal, wikipedia

Today:
Asdal, Region Nordjylland, Asdal sogn, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring Kommune 


Before 1970: Asdal, Asdal sogn, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring Amt.  
  





The first owner of Asdal is from the 1300s, hr Niels Ovesen of the nobility - which by the genealogs from their family coat of arms named Panter. Niels Ovesen Panter and his wife fru Johanne Andersdatter (Stenbrikke) owned the manor - but besides Asdal Niels Ovesen was the owner of  much estate in this region, like Skovgaard and Kærsgaard in Vennebjerg herred and Knivholt in Horns herred. He was a wealthy and respected man, he was a knight and had two of his children married into the zealand nobility family Lunge. The daughter Ingeborg, ( widow after 1429), married ca. 1390 the later rigsråd and hofmester Anders Jacobsen Lunge.

Asdal was inherited by Niels and Johanne's son væbner Anders Nielsen Panter, who in 1393 wrote himself of Asdal and was married  1) to Regitze Jacobsdatter Lunge , who died soon after. Anders died 1405 or 1406 but he had before this married Ide Lydersdatter Holck (+ earliest 1425) , who in 1406 owned Asdal and later married hr Lyder Kabel of Fuglsang (+ earliest 1440), who in 1415 wrote himself of Asdal. Lyder Kabel and Bonde Due of Torup (Hillerslev herred) on behalf of his wife achieved in 1419 by a share of inheritance 2/3 of Asdal, while 1/3 of the manor went to Anders Nielsen Panter's sister fru Ingeborg Nielsdatter Panter's (+ earliest 1411) husband , rigshofmester hr. Anders Jacobsen Lunge (+ 1429).

Asdal,  foto Den store Danske.

Bonde Due (+ earliest 1430) was married to fru Ide's daughter * fru Johanne Andersdatter Panter (+ 1477) and took over in 1419 hr. Lyder's part in Asdal; fru Johanne , who was said to be the last member of her family (Panter), was in 1462-63 royal vasal in Vendsyssel; her second husband was hr. Niels Eriksen Banner of Vinstrup (+ earliest 1444), who in 1425-43 is written of Asdal. A relative of Niels, hr. Jens Eriksen Banner( + earliest 1444) must also have had a share of Asdal, which he wrote himself of in 1423. After the death of Niels Eriksen Banner fru Johanne wrote herself in 1455-74 of the manor; in the division of the estate after her Asdal estate was laid out to her son rigsråd hr. Anders Nielsen Banner, who already in 1454 and 1463 had written himself of Asdal. At his death in 1486 his only son Erik Andersen Banner, who in 1480 wrote himself of Asdal, had died a few years before (+ latest 1483) , but his widow Karen Stensdatter Gøye is mentioned in 1480-88 of Asdal; she later married rigsråd hr. Niels Høg Banner of Eskær (+ 1524).

Johanne Panter

* fru Johanne Andersdatter Panter, who died in 1477 the last of her family, achieved great wealth from inheritance - and in the nobility family books is told that she was a member of rigsrådet. This is  said to be a legend, but she was in 1462-63 royal vasal in Vendsyssel. It was said that her family rejected Bonde Due's proposal to her, but he abducted her and they were married. When in 1419 was a legal change after old Niels Ovesen, Bonde Due was present for his wife and Anders Jacobsen Lunge for his wife as heirs. Both achieved parts in Asdal, but since fru Johanne before 1422 married again, this time to hr Niels Eriksen Banner, Asdal came into the ownership of this family and stayed there for almost 200 years as one of the main houses of the family Banner. 

Aalborghus, wikipedia

Niels Eriksen Banner was from Zealand, his father owned Vinstrup and Niels inherited also this manor. He was in 1438 rigsråd and vasal at Skivehus, later vasal at Aalborghus. He lived still in 1444, took part in devoting Erik of Pommern  and in calling for Christoffer of Bayern. His son, Anders Nielsen Banner,  achieved even more respect  for the family, he became ridder and rigsråd  and was like his father royal vasal at Aalborghus, and this vasalry was later owned by his son and son's son. The strong attraction to this North Jutland vasalry is linked to that Anders Nielsen and his descendants became 100 % Jutland lords and were among the richest. Anders Nielsen owned besides Asdal, Kokkedal and Højriis 2 smaller Jutland manors plus the zealand manor Vinstrup. It is a proof of his good reputation that he in 1486 during king Hans's stay in Norway was among three leaders of the government in Jutland -  he died the same year. His only son Erik Andersen Banner had died a few years before, but his widow Karen Gjøe wrote herself in 1480-88 of Asdal. With their son Erik Eriksen Banner the family came up in the top plan of society.

Kalø castle ruin, foto GB

Gustav Vasa

Erik Eriksen Banner was a vasal at Kalø and kept it in 40 years till his death in 1554. He was exposed to a costy accident since Gustav Vasa who was a prisoner at Kalø escaped him in 1519. Christiern II sentenced Erik Eriksen to a fine of 1.600 gylden,a giant sum of money. There was however no animosity between the king and his vasal, and Erik Eriksen did not take part in the rebellion against the king, but when he was directly and personally threatened, he joined Frederik I. His good reputation was  not hurt by having joined the displaced king for so long -  he now became a rigsråd. It was strange that he was one of few noblemen who was in favor of the new religious movement in Denmark, he let a Luther-minded priest call to Thorsager kirke which was Kalø's parish church . When Frederik I died, Erik Eriksen was in favor of hertug Christian to become Danish king, and when the Skipper Clement feud broke out he was firmly against it. When the revolt was crushed at Aalborg, Erik Eriksen Banner was together with Johan Rantzau commander of hertug Christian's troops. His quiet performance of various administrative jobs in the rebellious districts contributed to calm the mood of people.


* It was said that Erik Eriksen Banner helped Gustav Vasa to escape, and if this is true then Sweden has got something to thank Erik Eriksen Banner for.

Asdal voldsted,

wikipedia

After Christian III was elected king, Erik Banner's succes was safe. He was connected to the king and achieved in 1541 the title of rigsmarsk and he was attending several of Christian III's travels, like the the meeting at Brømsebro with Gustav Vasa. It must have been strange for Erik Banner to stand face to face with the man who had once been his prisoner. In his latest years Erik Banner wrote himself most often of Asdal, his son Frands seems to have taken over Kokkedal while his father lived. Erik Banner died in 1554, ca. 70 years of age at Kalø, which more than anything else had formed a frame around his life. He was buried in Torslev kirke, the parish church of Kokkedal. It was said about Erik Banner that he was one of the most important and influental noblemen in the reformation period in Denmark,  but none of his children inherited his abilities. His estate was shared among his heirs, and Asdal with Bangsbo came to his son Otte, who from 1560 was a vasal of Sejlstrup, he was mostly known for his marriage to Ingeborg Skeel of Voergaard. She kept the vasalry after her husband's death 1585.

Fru Ingeborg Skeel was more than anyone else a personality in the legends from Vendsyssel, not because of her virtues - often usual legends from other places (called vandresagn = wandering legends)  who were localised to Voergaard (and never to Asdal)  where she had the main role in the legends. Her authority must have been stronger than that of other noble ladies, like her economic sense and energy .She had a fine cattle herd at Voergaard, she traded in grain and bricks and she let her people be merchants and trade on markets etc. She kept her churches in good condition and she had in general a good relation with the Clergy.  

Otte Banner and fru Ingeborg had no children. Otte Banner wished to give Asdal to his brother Anders Banner's sons with Dorthe Rud, but he claimed that the king had to make the gift unshakeable. The king accepted this, but it was however Otte's sister Karen who after Ingeborg Skeels death in 1604 and after long and complicated judicial feuds became the owner of Asdal. Karen Banner died in 1611, and Asdal had a troubled destiny in the next years. Several aristocrats had part in it.

Specification:
Above mentioned Anders Nielsen Banner's daughter Anne Andersdatter Banner (+ latest 1490) , who was married to Jens Due Thott of Egholm (Voldborg herred) had inherited a sister-part in A., which she according to a thing's witness in 1492 gave to her brother's children. Among these rigsråd and rigsmarsk Erik Eriksen Banner (+ 1554) inherited Asdal manor and estate, which later came to his son Otte Eriksen Banner, married in 1560 to Ingeborg Skeel of Voergård, who after his death in 1585 kept Asdal until her death in 1604, since Otte Banner before his death had conveyed manor and estate to his family, but in a way so fru Ingeborg kept the estate or a part of it as fief for the rest of her life. Two brother-sons, Erik Andersen Banner of Gjessingholm (+ 1597) and Otte Andersen Banner of Studstrup (Rinds herred) (+ 1625), inherited Asdal, to which the first mentioned wrote himself in 1595, while Otte Banner's sisters Berete Banner (+ 1592), married to Knud Bille of Lindved (+ 1592), Magdalene Banner (+ 1597), widow after Iver Krabbe of Krabbesholm (+ 1561), and Karen Banner of Høgholt, widow after Gregers Trudsen Ulfstand of Gl. Estrup etc. (+ 1582), achieved a part of the spread estate. Later owners of Asdal: the families Ulfstand, Podebusk, Rantzau, Skeel, etc. The owner in 1935 and still in 1959 was Jens Andreasen from Guldager (Vrejlev sogn). And else various owners up til present.
Owner from 1989: Jens Peter Lemmergaard Lunden 

Legend:
In a glass box above the main entrance of Asdal Hovedgaard are the rests of a very old ham-bone from a pig. The ham-bone is said to be over 400 years old - and caused by its durability and strength it has supernatural powers, which will be transferred to the house where it is kept. If the ham is removed strange things will happen at Asdal.

Some hundred years ago the pigs eat mast in the beech- and oak woods. The lands of Asdal Hovedgård and Odden were adjacent. In the hunting a pig was shot and the owners of Asdal Hovedgård and Odden disagreed about to whom the pig belonged. The disputes lead to a lawsuit and the outcome was that the owners of Asdal and Odden had to divide the pig lengthwise. The bacon-sides had to be hang up on the wall in the two manors - and he who was able to keep the ham fresh for the longest period was the true owner of the pig. The ham is still at Asdal, but it has disappeared at Odden.

Asdal voldsted, foto GB

Asdal voldsted, foto GB

Next to the farm buildings of Asdal Hovedgård is the large Asdal Voldsted, which consists of a square about 11 m high castle bank ( 63 x 37 m) surrounded by moats, still partly water-filled. The access to the castle bank was from the south, probably via a bridge. At the castle bank was a three-winged building complex, there are still rests of buildings at the top. In 1662 were two houses in two storeys and one half-timbered house in one storey. In 1769 the castle yard had two houses, one two storey, the other three storey high, one of these houses (named Brunhuset) was said to have been one storey higher. According to tradition there were two huge towers( Vagttårnet and Brandtårnet) on the northern wing's two sides, the rests of these were said to be gunned down in the war 1807-14. Brickworks have been found.

Asdal church, foto GB

Asdal Church, ab. 12 km north of Hjørring

The small white-washed church is situated in a desolate place southeast of Asdal Hovedgård (manor). Asdal church was from the beginning only a chapel for Asdal manor. The parish was earlier named "Asdal Kapels sogn" and Niels Persøn is mentioned in 1476 as a curate at Asdal. The church is a late Gothic longhouse building from the last half of the 1400s with a half-timbered porch to the north, probably from the 1700s. The Gothic building is built in monk bricks mixed with a few granite stones. In the north wall inside is a broad point arched glare, possibly a bricked-up archade for a later broken down sacristy or burial vault. The ceiling in the undivided room is dressed in boards. The little pretty porch has black tarred half-timbering.

Asdal church, foto GB.

Some figures from an earlier late Gothic altar piece and a crucifix-group is given to the National Museum in Copenhagen. The altar piece is a Lutheranian triptychon from ab. 1575 with a painting from ab. 1700. A chalice from the 1700s. Late Gothic ore-candelabres from ab. 1550 with the coat of arms of Banner. A late which probably belonged to the church was found at Asdal Voldsted (castle bank). It is now at the National Museum. A Romanesque granite font with a hemispherical basin and a truncated crone-foot with line ornaments. A south German baptismal bowl, ab. 1575. The pulpit is a fine Renaissance joinery from 1578, given by Otto Banner of Asdal and wife Inge(Ingeborg) Skeel with their paternal and maternal coat of arms, restored in 1905. Pews from the same period and manor-pews with the same coat of arms. A church bell from 1627 cast by Hans Kemmer with Fr. Rantzau's name. In the choir a marble epitaph for Christen Speitzer Follerup, +1789. 5 gravestones from the 1600s and 1700s, one is a trapez-shaped bondegravsten (peasant) in granit for ("wife MGD died 1800").

Listed prehistorics: 3 hills, i.e. the high placed Hellehøj; one is possibly the rest of a stone grave.
Demolished or destroyed: 13 hills, all in the southern hilly part of the parish. At Rugtved is found a burial site with stone graves from early Roman Iron Age, and upon the low terrain close to the border of Uggerby was found a settlement with fields from Celtic Iron Age. From Stejlbjerg is a finding with 3 guldbrakteater (gold plates) and 18 glass pearls.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Asdal (1393 Asedal); Skovsgårde (1638 Schouffgaard); Rækær ( 1662 Rikier, 1688 Ree Kier); Skoven ( 1688 Schoufven); Heden (1688 Heeden); Puthede (1662 Putheede); Mosen (1688 Mossen); Kjul (1419 Kyle Mølle, 1662 Nør Kiil, Sønder Kiil, 1688 Nør-Sønderkyfvel); Stejlbjerg
(1662 Steilberig); Rugtved (1688 Routued); Hulskov ( 662 Halschou, 1688 Houl Schouf); Rynken (1688 Røncken ) ; Gravholt (1688 Graufverholtz Huus.).

Source:
Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960; Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 10, Vendsyssel