Hornstrup church/ Hornstrup kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt

Hornstrup church, Google earth

Hornstrup church The whitewashed church in Hornstrup is tiled, except for the tower, which has a leaden roof. The church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from the reformation period to the south. The Romanesque building is in raw granite and travertine without a visible plinth. The choir has kept rests of an original wall-decoration with narrow corner lesenes, between which is a round-arch frieze upon the east side. The extended south door is in use, while the north door has disappeared. In the north side of the choir is inside seen a bricked-up flatcurved door, which might be original,  but most probably has led out to the sacristy. The round choir arch stands inside with straight-edged kragsten (corbels). In the Gothic period, probably ab. 1400, choir and nave were vaulted, the choir with one, the nave with three bays cross vaults, all with profiled ribs. In late Gothic period the tower was added in monk bricks; it has a cross-vaulted bottom room with a pointed arch towards the nave. The bell storey has to the south, west and north tall, round-arched peepholes, one couple for each corner of the world. The smooth gables turn east, west and show the foot timber of the roof work. The porch is mainly built in monk bricks, it seems to origin from the middle of the 1500s. Its extended flat-curved door, flanked by two circular glares, us placed in a round-arched frame. Badly kept fresco-remains from ab 1500 were revealed in 1903 in choir and nave, but was whitewashed again.

Hornstrup church, Google earth

The altarpiece is a simple joinery in Baroque from 1685 with a painting from 1914, a copy of a Carl Bloch-painting. A Romanesque granite font with very scrapped, carved figures; four lions, divided by trees two and two. The font is much familiar to the font in Korning. A south German dish ab. 1575. A pulpit in rural late Baroque ab. 1750. In the west end of the nave a gallery with organ. In the porch a naive wooden figure (Moses) from the 1700s. The bell from the beginning of the 1300s with majuskel inscription:  IHESUS CRISTUS GHODEHARDUS. - A gravestone for Iver Vind of Grundet (+ 1586) and wife Anne Heinrichsdatter (+ 1579), four coat of arms and a written kartouche under arcade, a work by the Roskilde-master Oluf N. Krog.

Store Grundet 1910, wikipedia

Store Grundet, wikipedia

Store Grundet. Frederik II exchanged in 1579 the village Grundet to Iver Vind (+ 1586); he wrote himself of Grundet already the same year. Grundet came after his death to his sons Christen Vind (+ 1605) Henrik Vind (+ 1607) and Jakob Vind (+ 1607); the last mentioned's widow Else Høeg (Banner) still owned the farm in 1609, but thereafter it came to Jakob's brother's son Niels Albertsen Vind of Ullerup (+ 1615); his widow Kirsten Juel (+ 1627) and son Niels Vind (+ 1646). In 1638 Kirstine Nielsdatter Vind  (+ 1690) inherited G. She was married to Tage Krabbe of Gunderslevholm (+ 1676). She sold G. in 1679 to colonel Otto Fr. v Gamm (+ 1698), whom she later married. In an exchange after him the farm was laid out with taxes and estate and main building to the son Christoffer Fr. v. Gamm (+ 1701), whose halfbrother, major Erik Krabbe (+ 1709) in 1705 deeded it to colonel Ditlev Brockdorff of Hvolgård, who in 1710 deeded it to his brother generalløjtnant, friherre Shack Brockdorff of Schelenborg (+ 1730). In 1722 the farm was deeded to his son-in-law, colonel Henrik Brockdorff of Stovgård (+ 1730), whose widow Charlotte Amalie Reedtz in 1731 gave her inheritence-rights in G. to her stepson colonel Schack von Brockdorff of Højgård (+ 1761). His widow Sophie Hedevig v Grabow owned G. till her death in 1784, whereafter her son-in-law merchant Hans Helmuth v Lüttichau of Tjele (+ 1801) bought G.,Højgård, taxes, church estate and farm estate at an auction.
 Later owners: Shack v Lüttichau, Mathias v Lüttichau, Johan Sigismund Knuth, Christian Frederik Knuth, Niels Skou, and after 1930  Nels Skou's heirs.

Store Grundet and new parcels. Google earth.

The main building (1840-1842-1847)  is listed in class B. The garden is one with the forest ,a large avenue leads up to the main road.



Lille Grundet was made from 8 parcels of Store Grundet. Deeded in 1800 to Jens Sørensen in Rødemølle, same year deeded to Laurids Kilstrup (+ 1823). The owner from 1891 Niels Skou, after his death in 1930 to his son N. Skou.

Øster Grundet belonged to Kr. Skou (+1958); after him to his daughter fru Iris Lundgaard, Ausumgård.

Juulsbjerg is from ab. 1845, owner in 1964 V. Jørgensen.

A farm in Lysholt was by the Crown exchanged to Peder Ebbesen Galt; after his brother's son Ebbe Andersen Galt (+ unmarried ab. 1553) the farm Lysholt came to his mother's brother Christoffer Gøye (+ childless 1584), who owned it in 1562. Later it belonged to Hans Axelsen Arenfeldt of Rugård (+ 1611) whose son hr. Axel Arenfelt of Basnæs still in 1626 wrote himself of it. In 1773 Lysholt was under Grundet.

Esbern Jensen deeded some estate in Lysholt to hr Niels Brock the elder, who let Peder Hamundsen use it, in 1323 Christoffer II had to, after 4 in vain judgments, to let Niels Brock enter the estate by power.

Grundet birk (judicial)  is mentioned for the first time in 1495 and was apparently the 7 farms which  represented Grundet village. In an exchange in 1578, where Iver Vind bought Grundet village, is Grundet birk also mentioned. Its size was now extended and included in 1687 9 farms and 6 smaller houses in Hornstrup, in Lysholt 1 farm, in Kirkeby 1 farm and in Grønholt 4 farms. At that time the name Hornstrup birk was used. The birk was abandoned in 1806, since the estates came under a herredsjurisdiction. (districtjurisdiction).

Hornstrup, landscape, Google earth.

Ege or Egebjerg birk seems already mentioned in 1401, since there was a thing's witness about some estate in Bredballe and Tirsbæk. The sources indicate that this birk was for Bredballe and Tirsbæk.   .

There were many feuds about Bredballe, where the king only had a small desolate bol (house), but the royal vasal tried to lay hands on two farms and to make the Bredballe farmers belong to Rom's birk.  Niels Bugge's son-in-law Johan Skarpenberg forced the men in Bredballe to do rope in Roms birk This was forbidden by the state council in 1469. But the feuds did not stop. In 1533 a final judgment was confirmed  by the state council about the birks.

A sacred spring was found at Stejlbjerg in Bredballe.  

During a clearance of a small forest at Hornstrup in 1842 numerous coins were found, among those some Netherland dalere and crowns from Chr IV, a collected weight of 2118 gram, the latest coin was from 1624.

Sindholt (1478 Sinholtt) is the name of an area between Store Grundet and Hornstrup church, where acc. to a priest report from 1638 stood a kloster "Sindholtsborg"; there were still rests of cellars.

Grundet was originaly a village, nearby was another village Grønholt (1638 Grønholtt) which in 1664 was said to consist of 8 bol (smaller houses),  among these Podehuset (1683 Podehuesed) and Munkehuset (1683 Munchehues, Monckhuussz). 
 
 No prehistorics.
Destroyed or demolished: 6 hills, among these the stone encircled Gammelhøj at Bredballe. 

In Grejsdalen was discovered an important sacrifice- or depot-find of thicknecked flint axes. An Iron Age's shell heap is known from the mouth of Bybæk (the city brook) -  and at Bredballe mark (field) were found waste pits and urn graves from Celtic Iron Age.

Hornstrup parish became 27/3 1700 annex of Vejle, but in a resolution of 9/8 1908 it became again its own parish.


Names from the Middle Ages: Kirkeby (1496 Kirckebye); Hornstrup (ab. 1330 Hornstorp); Bredballe (1469 Bredebalgh; 1471 Bredhballigh); Store Grundet (1459 Grunydh, 1480 Grunnet).




Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.
photo: Google earth and wikipedia. 

 

Bjergby church/ Bjergby kirke, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring amt.

Bjergby church, ab. 6 km north of Hjørring. (Google earth)

The highplaced church in Bjergby, which is seen far and wide, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a newer porch to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a plinth, which in the eastern section has a steep, heavy, bevelled edge and to the west a more flat and narrow. Above the bricked-up south door, which was still open in 1637, is a tympanum with a cross-lamb, a human figure and a bird, which in 1729 lay at the church yard and was regarded as a gravestone. The north door is extended, and its tympanum with a dragon figure is inserted above the door of the porch. From original windows are inside kept the large east window of the choir, and in the south wall of the choir are inserted two round arched monolite lintels. High upon the south wall of the nave is an ashlar with a very big, protruding male head, according to tradition is it the master  builder of the church. Inside are beamed ceilings, and the round choir arch is kept. The walls were remade in the 1700s - the choir gable 1772 with iron initials for Christoffer Rougtved and Else J. Seidelin, the west gable 1782 with initials for Pors Munch and Else J. Seidelin. Upon the lead roof of the church was according to a description from 1735 a strange decoration: a gunner with gun, dog, deer and hare, cast in lead. The building was restored in 1950.

Bjergby church, wikipedia

tympanum, wikipedia.

interior, wikipedia.

The ashlar-bricked communion table was until 1950 covered in a rare Romanesque front in oak, which fields copied the front of the golden altars, it is now placed in the choir. The altarpiece contains parts from a young Renaissance altarpiece, but is much remade in 1782 in late acanthus Baroque with very naturalistic angels in the wings. The old large-field, which had a carved crucifix and painted images of Moses and John the Baptist, was replaced in the late 1800s by a copy of a C.Bloch painting. The chalice is from the late 1600s,  stamped by Chr. P. Lam, Sæby. Brass candelabres in late Baroque. A Romanesque granite font with  semicircular basin upon a truncated pyramid foot. Simple pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600 with the coat of arms of Ove Lunge and Anne Sehested. New pews from the last restoration in 1950. The bell hangs in a bell frame upon a gravehill inside the dike of the church yard, it was cast in 1867 by B.S. Løw.

gravestones 1) parish priest Niels Pedersen (+ 1624) and two wives; 2) parish clerk Bertel Pederesen (+ 1705) with wife and daughter.

In the parish is in 1662 mentioned the farms Bachen and Lund.  

Listed prehistorics: 8 hills, of which several are large: Vagthøj at Sakstrup; Fællehøj and Skovhøj at Nymark and a hill at Gammeljord; the bellframe at the church yard stands upon a hill. Furthermore two stone Iron Age graves at Bjergby and Sakstrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 31 hills.      

From a hill at Sakstrup was found a gold ring from early Roman period.
In the parish were several finds ( sacrifice and depots) from Stone Age, like from Sakstrup: 7 thick-necked axes, 4 spear heads and 12 scythes, at Snævre a find with 5 thin-necked axes, and one with 5 scythes and an unfinished spear head. In a moor at Varbrogård was found a big number of clay pots from Celtic Iron Age. Stone graves from early Roman period were found at Bjergby and Hvirrekær.

It was told that one of the first parish priests after the reformation, Peter Vognfører, was accused of witchcraft and burnt upon a hill in Mygdal parish.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:  Bjergby (1343 Byærby); Sakstrup (1419 Saxtorp); S. Ørnbøl (1638 Ønbøll); Krattet (1662 Kratted); Dal (1419 Bierbydal); Pilgård (1662 Pill Gård).

See:
photo-collection Bjergby church 

Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960. 
photo: Google earth and wikipedia.

 

      

Ousted church/ Ousted kirke, Voer herred, Skanderborg amt.

The whitewashed church in Ousted is the highest placed church in Denmark with a wide view to the south and east. It has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Gothic additions, a tower to the west and a porch to the north from the late 1700s. The Romanesque building is built in travertine and boulder, the choir stands on a pretty plinth which consists of two circular parts, stepped above a horisontal part; the nave is a little younger, it stands upon a beveled-edge plinth. Two very large round arched doors are bricked. The choir had from the beginning a strange form, in spite of the flat eastern wall inside it is a triangular apse, which travertine vault are carried by hjørnetromper (corner-trompes). In the northeast corner is a re-opened low door to a narrow spiral staircase, which leads up above the vault. Under the southern trompe is a piscina with two outlets. The high slender choir arch has beveled-edge bands. In the late Gothic period, probably ab. 1475, was in choir and nave built cross vaults, in the choir one, in the nave four, of which the westernest is very narrow. the vaults are contrary to custom carved into the walls without  skjoldbuer (= the cut-line between the vault and the wall).Later the tower was added in monk bricks to the west. Its rather narrow bottom room, which has a cross vault,opens in a pointed arch in the full broadth of the room towards the nave. A straight-running staircase in the north wall with entrance from outside leads up to the middle storey. The wallwork of the tower is very face-walled, and it had its pyramid spire in ab. 1769.  The porch is probably from the same time.

                                                                              
The altarpiece is a fine carved work in Renaissance from ab. 1600 with two pillars and a triangular top section. Its painting is from the middle of the 1800s. Three carved bishop saints, Erasmus, Dionysios and a NN, which hang in the nave, probably origin from a late Gothic disappeared altarpiece ( ab. 1500s). Renaissance candelabres ab. 1600 (given by?) name: Knud Andersen upon the bell-shaped foot. A heavy, Romanesque granite font of the Sjørslev-type with double lions and achantus trees. A south German dish ab. 1575 with initials KID. As a baptismal jug was used a Romanesque akvamanile shaped as a lion ( now at the National Museum). A pulpit from the beginning of the 1600 with Tuscany pilastres upon the corners and portal fields.

A small shield with the letter P, which curve continues into a small cross left of the vertical stick, it might be a joiner's signature.  The pulpit and altarpiece were restored 1921. A colossal church ship from newer time "Fredericus Quintus". The bell 1591 with the names Christen Mortensen and Knud Andersen in Eir.


Tammestrup belonged in the Middle Ages to Øm kloster. At the reformation it came to the Crown and belonged to Skanderborg vasalry, later to the Skanderbog rytterdistrict (military).When the rytter-estate was sold T. was made a main farm (manor), and it was bought with estate by etatsråd Gerhard de Lichtenberg's widow Bodil Hofgaard in 1767. She had in 1795 a confirmation that the farm must keep its freedom although the estate was sold off, and in 1796 T. was with tiender (taxes) and estate conveyed by her estate to the manager of the farm Rasmus Damgaard, who in 1804 sold off Havreballegård. T came to Hans Andr. Møller, who in 1811 sold it to H. Nic. Sønnichsen, later of Slumstrup, and in a forced sale in 1815 it came to Peter Herschend of Herschendsgave. In 1826 it was laid out to proprietær Jensen, who at once sold it to the manager of the farm Jens Hviid (+ 1842). H.V.C. Güsloff, later of Vester Hovgård, bought in 1843 T. and sold it in 1855 to Harald Valdemar Neergaard (+ 1903), from whom it in 1866 came to Nic Nyholm (+ 1874). When his son A.J.C. Nyholm died in 1896, it was taken over by jægermester J.K. Dinesen of Kragerupsgård, who in 1898 sold it to Christian Adolph Heilmann (+ 1938). Owner in 1964: his son J.E. Heilmann.

Ejergård is from the 1800s. Owners in 1964: C.W. Jacobsen and fru I. Iversen.

Fredenshjem is from the 1850s. Owner in 1964: S. Nielsen.   

Sneptrup præstegård (vicarage) has a main building in half timber oak from 1747.

In a digging in Sneptrup vicarage's forest were in 1876 found a silver cup, in 1878 3 silver spoons and 26 speciedalere, mostly German, from the years 1590-1635, in 1899 were found 9 silver spoons and in 1938 a Nürnbergdaler from 1628,  probably everything belonged to the same treasure, hidden during the Torstenssonkrigen 1643-45 (Swedish war).

Ejer Bavnehøj with tower seen from highway.

Upon Ejer Bavnehøj,which is the next highest point in Denmark, was in 1924 raised a square viewing tower in red bricks. The surroundings are listed.

In a hollow in Tebstrup village, ab. 200 m east of the country road, is the medieval castle bank Voldhøj, a square ab. 3 m high bank, which measures ab. 20 m at the foot. The terrain around the bank is very leveled out, but it seems there have been double moats to the south and east and a single moat to the west, while the bank to the north faces the original swampy meadow. The top surface slopes to the northwest. Upon the north side is a cut, from where the earth was used for the moat. The farm building of the castle was probably at the weak ridge, which stretches from south to the castle bank.

Listed prehistorics: a long dolmen with a cover stone above the chamber in Balleskov and the rather large Staghøj at the eastern border north of Tebstrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 38 hills; one was upon Ejer Bavnehøj.  

At Ris-Tebstrup school was found an important settlement and an iron extraction-place from Celtic Iron Age; a settlement from the same period is known from Tammestrup.

Names in the Middle Ages: Ovsted kirke (1403 Ousted sogenn, 1413 Ousted kircke);  Sneptrup præstegård (1459 Sneptrup); Tebstrup (1373 Typstrop marck); Ris (1444 Aggisted ris, 1445 Rijsz; Ejer (1437 Eyer marck, 1492 Eyerd); Elling (1234 Jlingh, 1470 Elling); Bjødstrup (1488 Biornstrup marck, Biornestrup); Tammestrup (1283 Thumestrup marck, 1373 Thomistrop); Ejergård (1499 Eyergaardt).  

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.

photo 2002/2007: grethe bachmann

Nim church, Nim kirke, Nim herred, Skanderborg amt.

The highplaced church in Nimb has a Romanesque choir and nave a late Gothic western tower and a porch to the south. The Romanesque sections are in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth , which is now only visible in a few places. From original details are seen the bricked north window of the choir, the choir arch, which has profiled kragbånd with rope sticks and lion reliefs and the two straight edged doors of the nave, of which the northern is blinded. Upon an ashlar in the north wall is a cup-shaped hollow. The low tower, which probably has been higher, is in raw boulder and monk bricks, and supplemented with ashlars from the demolished western gable of the nave; in the south wall is seen a monolith lintel from a Romanesque window and - as an inside glare - a flatcurved door opening. The tower room is in connection with the nave in a round arched arcade. The whole church has a beamed ceiling.  The porch is probably Gothic, but rebuilt in present times.   

A bricked altar with a Renaissance panel upon the front. The altarpiece is since 1959 a painting by A. Schumann in Horsens 1837 in a simple contemporary frame. The earlier altarpiece, a copy from 1907 of a painting by Carl Bloch, hangs in the tower room. Altar chalice and dish from 1857, made by the Horsens master Erik C. Lind. Altar candelabres from 1600s. Romanesque granite font with lions and windings in lively relief. A baptismal dish, a south German work from 1550-1600. A pulpit in high Renaissance 1614 with the coat of arms of Christopher Holgersen and wife, entrance through the triumph wall. Pews from ab. 1900. Upon the north wall of the nave hangs a small late Gothic crucifix. An iron bound money block at the door. Organ in the tower room. Bell from 1849, cast by Gamst and Lund. In the porch a large portrait gravestone for above mentioned Christopher Holgersen (+ latest 1622) and wife; inscription almost worn out. Outside the church lie a large worn out portrait stone from the 1700s and a gravestone for Johan Frederik Cramer, earlier citizen and merchant in Horsens (+ 1831). In the north corner of the church yard a "grave tree" in granite from the 1700s with a male figure in high relief, and at the burial chapel upon the church yard lies a large monolith lintel from a Romanesque window. 

At Bredstenbro was about 20 m southwest of the country road and 50 m from Gudenå river a chapel, consegrated to Vor Frue, it was registered at Åkær slot in 1591 in a charter from 1426 as called Brøstrum bro capell and it was said to be founded by bishop Bo (+ 1423) and renovated by bishop Ulrik (+ 1449).
The chapel was considered in 1456 in Niels Gyldenstierne's will. In 1461 a priest of Brystingbro is mentioned, and in ab. 1500 a site south of Vor Frue kapel's farm at B. Close west for the chapel was a sacred spring with outlet in Gudenå river. After the chapel site, the socalled "old church yard" for a long time had been used as a quarry and for using gravel, where a big number of skeletons appeared, the National Museum did in 1917 make a small excavation, in which were found the last small rests of the foundation of a monk brick building and some graves.   The chapel site is now completely destroyed.

Nim is in Valdemars Jordebog mentioned as krongods (belonging to the Crown); marsk Stig Andersen (Hvide) had N. as a vasalry from Erik Klipping.

In the parish were the villages Stakkelstoft (1683 Stackels Toft) with 1 farm and 7 houses, and Morup (1582 Marupmark, 1664 Morupmarch) at Brestenbro ab. two km north of Moruplund, which has got its name from the village.

Listed prehistorics: 13 hills of, which Bavnehøj east of Nim and a hill southwest of the village are very large, and 4 røser (stonegraves) in the forest north of Nim.
Demolished or destroyed: 80 hills, most of these were in the eastern part of the parish, where they in a couple of places formed distinct high rows, one along the Horsens-Silkeborg country road to Nim village and another to the south, to Sletkær. 

From Nim origins a late Bronze Age sacrifice find with hængekar (a belt jewelry), bracelets etc. etc. North of Nim was examined an urn burial site from Celtic Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages: Nim (1231 Nym); Brestenbro (1426 Brøstenbroe, 1456 Brøstænbro); Bolund (1408 Bordelund).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.  

photo 2003: grethe bachmann
 

Gosmer church / Gosmer kirke , Hads herred, Århus amt.

Gosmer kirke, foto: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

The large church in Gosmer was possibly dedicated to Sct. Theobald, since a reliquary was found in the communion table in the beginning of the 1700s, which had a note "in honorem Skt. Theobaldi". The church has apse, choir and nave which repeats the Romanesque building, a late Gothic tower to the west, a porch from 1866 to the south and a chapel to the north. The Romanesque building was totally rebuilt in 1866, probably mostly in the old materials and in its old figure, but strongly normalized. It is built in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth, in apse with a double plinth. On the southside of the choir is a priest-portal with half-pillars and tympanum with a characteristic relief of the Deposition. The south portal has also half-pillars and tympanum, but the relief is here a human figure between two lions and two dragons, framed by a foliage edge, related to portals in Tranbjerg and Stjær church. The reconstructed choir arch inside has the old plinth with an arcade frieze. Apse has a half-cupolar vault, choir and nave have a flat loft. The late Gothic tower, where the bottom room is furnished to a burial, is built in monk bricks and has a staircase in the south wall. The upper section is heavily rebuilt in 1775 and especially in 1866. A chapel at the north side of the tower was removed in the rebuild in 1866, and the porch was built and later the chapel at the north side of the nave.

portal

portal, tympanum

apse, pillar with human heads.

stone mason mark

in chapel

The altarpiece is a carving in late Renaissance by Peder Jensen Kolding from 1637 with "somehow sweety" 1800s biblical paintings - an older and rather worn out alterpainting stands behind the altarpiece. Candelabres from 1790 with coat of arms and initials of Joachim O. Schack-Rathlou. A  Romanesque granite font in Horsens-type with lions between cross friezes and leaves and with a palmetta frieze on the foot piece. A South German bowl from ab. 1550 . A sounding board from ab. 1640, probably by Peder Jensen Kolding like a crucifix. A bell without inscription, probably from the 1400s.

A fragment from a Romanesque gravestone is placed above the entrance to the tower . A worn out figure stone for a priest from 1600-1700s.

Gosmer church in a distance

In the tower room an inside burial for the family Rathlou. The tower arch is partly closed by a richly carved epitaph for Chr. Rathlou (+ 1752) and Sophie Schack (+ 1771), whose coffins and several other coffins stand in the room, which is closed by an iron gate from 1759 with their initials. In the cellar several other coffins : with Gregorius Rathlou (+ 1681), and wife etc. In the chapel at the northside of the nave is an inscription table from 1783 and here are three marble sarcophagi by Wiedewelt with Joachim O. Schack-Rathlou and his wife and daughter. The chapel, which has now disappeared at the northside of the tower, contained members of the family Holstein-Rathlou - they were removed to the burial chapel in the forest at Rathlousdal.

Dybvad

Dybvad was a farm under Åkær Manor. The famous professor Jørgen Dybvad (+ 1612) was born here as a son of the tenant Christoffer Eriksen. In 1617 it was inhabited by Ejler Gabrielsen Akeleye; the farm was very dilapidated at that time. In 1630 he got a life's letter on it, but in 1647 he got a letter on Skovsgård and Bjerager Hovgård instead,  whereafter D. was inhabited by Valdemar Lykke. In 1664 D. was with all estate  laid out to Joachim Gersdorff's heirs. The son Frederik Gersdorff's guardian conveyed in 1665 D. to Laurits Brorson (+ 1681). After the death of his widow Anne Jakobsdatter Friberg in 1693 some of the heirs conveyed their part in D. to her son-in-law Oluf Friis (+ 1698), priest in Hundslund, who in 1694, together with Magdalene Sibylle Brorson (+ 1734) widow after Iver Joh. Bredal, priest in Dover and owner of 2/7 of D.,  conveyed it to Otte Krabbe of Åkær, who in 1695 transferred the buy to his administrator Mads Nielsen Rosenlund (+ 1696); whose widow Anne Jensdatter Lasson in 1698 married Peder Thøgersen Lasson of Rødslet. In an exchange after him in 1738 D. was taken over by the son Thøger Lasson, who 1750 also became the owner of Åkær, under which D. was placed until 1798, when Diderich Henrik Koch bought it. He conveyed it in 1801 to Mourids Chr. Piper, who in 1806 was allowed to do some out-parcellings (in 51 parcels). In 1809 it was bought back to Åkær, but in 1914 it was sold to Chr. Kreutzfeldt (+ 1953), whose son Bent Kreutzfeldt owned it in 1963.

The main building is listed in class B.

Skovsgård in Søby (later Gersdorffslund) belonged in 1381 to Jens Pors, it is possibly the same farm, which in 1559 under the name of Porsborg was conveyed to the crown by Jørgen Rosenkrantz. The Crown gave in 1572 mayor in Horsens Adser Sørensen a life's letter in the farm, in 1577 he renounced it in return for Hansted Hovgård in Voer herred. In 1633 and 1652 Rasmus Thøgersen is mentioned in P. The last mentioned year he received some timber, when the farm had burnt down. On 1664 P. was with all estate by the Crown laid out to Joachim Gersdorff's heir, who from P. and Højbygård and estate established Gersdorffslund. Joachim Gersdorff's son-in-law Gregorius Rathlou (+ 1681) built the halftimbered main building in 1674; it burnt down in 1713 by arson, but was rebuilt at once by the son, Christian Rathlou (+ 1752), who in 1749 incorporated it in his newly established entailed estate Rathlousdal. After the abandonment of this in 1921 G. was in 1921 sold after some outparcellling to Chr. N Lind, who in 1924 sold it to Gregers Juel of Juelsberg, who submitted land to the jordlovsudvalg, before he in 1925 sold the main parcel to T. Viggaard-Jensen. In 1953 it was bought by T Sand, Stidsmølle.

The present main building is a cultured little building-work in the 1840s style. The large three winged avlsgård (farm building) is contemporary to the main building.

Højby (1386 Howby, 1403 Høybye) belonged to Niels Knudsen and went after his death before 1386 to his mother Ingeborg, a widow after Tyge Puder. Her son Bent Puder is in 1406 written of H., and he willed in 1408 half of H. and the main part of the other half to Århus cathedral. His brother Tyge Puder had part in the farm and bought in 1409 his halfsister Marine Knudsdatter's part (she was m. to Iver Munk). The estate was probably inherited by the daughter Abel Tygesdatter, m. to Niels Kalf, for the son-in-law David Saxesen was in 1446 written of H., and his widow Mette Nielsdatter Kalf sold in 1483 her part of H. to the bishop in Århus; in 1518 he complained that H. was used without his allowance. In 1492 H. was written in documents  among the estate of Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz and was laid out in 1499 to his late son Holger's children; Holger Rosenkrantz' son's son Jørgen Rosenkrantz exchanged in 1559 H. to the Crown, who placed it under Åkær. It was later divided in 2 half farms, of which one in 1632 was decided as a residence for a fændrik (soldier). In 1654 Ejler Gabrielsen Akeleye got a half farm in H., and here he lived still in 1662,  80 year old. In 1661 the 2 farms with Åkær were laid out to Joachim Gersdorff's heirs, who let them demolish, the lands were placed under Gersdorffslund.

Bjørnkær (1427 Biørnkiers gaartzsted) belonged to Niels Kalf, whose widow Abel Tygesdatter Puder in 1427 conveyed B. gårdsted etc. to bishop Ulrik in Århus.

Bjørnkær Voldsted (castle bank) in the southeastern outskirt of Vandmoseskoven consists of two square banks, each surrounded and divided by a moat. The eastern bank is on three sides surrounded by an outer, higher placed dry moat. In the excavations in 1930-35 was on the eastern bank found a granite boulder foundation of a monk brick building (ab. 4,5 x 6,5m inside measure), in which western wall was seen a door in monk bricks. In the south and east wall are traces of windows. In the cellar room's northeastern corner was found a well, from which bottom came interesting finds of clay pots, dishes and funnels. This find was shared between Odder Museum and the National Museum. It seems to origin from the 13th or 14th century and must have been used for some kind of destillation.

Gosmer was among the estate, which hr. Niels Brok gave to Ring kloster in 1330, in 1345 Per Jensen of Nim, a canon in Lund and Århus gave G. Church all the new houses, which he had built on the church site in Gosmerholm (1345 Gasæmærholm); in 1444 the væbner Jens Mikkelsen of Gosmerholm is mentioned. G. was possibly placed where Præstholm now lies; P. was earlier an annex-vicarage, but in 1579 the vicar in Ørting-Gosmer was allowed to moved to here, since the vicarage in Ørting had no water; Chr. IV stayed here 20-22 February in 1609 at a journey from Dronningborg to Haderslev.

According to Valdemar's Jordebog the king owned 7 mark gold land in Søby. Fensten was among the estate, which Erik Plovpenning's daughter's son Erik Valdemarsen was given by law in 1327. Lindegård (1372 Lingaardt) in F. was sold by Ilved Andersen in 1384 to Thomes Vestenie, who in 1401 conveyed it to Poul Stigsen (Hvide), who in 1414 sold all his estate in F. to bishop Bo in Århus.

In the parish were the villages Husby (1427 Huszby), who was disappeared in the beginning of the 1400s, and Lemmestrup (ab. 1492 Lemestrup, 1544 Lymmerstrup), which was built 1688 with 5 farms and 2 houses. It was demolished partly in 1674 by the establishment of Gersdorffslund.

A Voldsted, the castlebank of Fensten Hovgaard was placed in the meadow close west of the present farm. The castle bank, which was surrounded by water, is described as being 3-4 m high. It was demolished in 1860, and on that occassion was found a large iron key, which later just disappeared. The leveling has been so thorough that the placement of the castle bank is not visible.      

Listed prehistorics: In Ravnskov is Kæmpehøjen with a passage grave of 10 supporting stones and two  somewhat downfallen cover stones; furthermore a longhill, two hills and a stone with 39 hollows - all in the forests under Rathlousdal.
Demolished or destroyed: 3 stone graves and one hill. 

In a moor at Smederup was found a large wooden vessel with handles, placed in the moor as a well, here were broken pieces from 14 clay pots; not far from here were found 311 bronze rings, armrings, necklaces and eyelet rings - in Celtic Iron age, from where all the finds come, the moor was probably used as a sacrifice place.

Names in the Middle Ages:
Gosmer (1302 Gasæmær, 1534 Gosmer); Præstholm (1534 Prestholm); Fensten (1231 Phynsten, 1438 Finsteen); Smederup (1384 Smerup, 1544 Smerop); Søby (1231 Sæby); Dybvad (1544 Dybwadtt).

Source: Trap Danmark, Århus amt, 1963.
photo: grethe bachmann and stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Sahl church / Sahl kirke, Houlbjerg herred, Viborg amt.

 

Sahl church has a Romanesque choir and nave with an addition to the north from 1756 and a porch to the south from the late 1800s. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars, the choir on a double plinth. The south door is kept in use with a threequarter pillar, which runs up to the smooth tympanum, while the north door has disappeared. Original round arched windows are kept in the choir, to the east and to the north. In several, places in the walls are inserted monolite cover stones. In the southside of the choir is a chessboard ashlar. The choir arch stands with overwashed kragbånd inside, and the nave has kept its beamed ceiling, while the choir had built in two bays crossvaults in the late Gothic period. The addition was originally a burial chapel for the owners of Ormstrup, but it was cleared in 1837, and the room was equipped in 1903 as a mortuary. Above the west gable of the nave are initials and year SDG 1762. In the year 1762 probably, was the little open ridge turrret with the bell  placed.



 

High Renaissance altarpiece from ab. 1600 with decorations from the 1700s and painting-fields from 1909. Balustershaped Baroque candelabres. Romanesque granite font upon an octagonal foot.  South German bowl from ab. 1575. Finely carved Baroque pulpit from 1649 with contemporary sounding board and decorations from 1763. Pews partly in Renaissance from the beginning of the 1600s. Simple threemaster churchship from 1941.  Bell from 1764 by Caspar König.In the choir 2 gravestones:  1) Niels Mikkelsen, Ormstrup + 1622;  2) Anne Elisabeth Niim, + 1758. In the bricked-up door opening of the addition a wrought iron gating with the initials H T R (H.T. Rosborg) and by the same door are three sheet metal shields with the coat of arms of Halling.

Runestones :Two medieval gravestones with runes: one was placed on the floor in the choir door and is now in Moesgaard Museum, Århus, it has an inscription which is not possible to decipher, the other stone in the western wall of the chapel has the inscription: Inger.













Ormstrup manor is the family house of the family Hvas. Hr. Laurids Hvas bought estate in the parish in 1354; so did his widow Kirsten in 1371. O came to the son hr. Laurids Hvas (+ 1430), to his sons Per Hvas (1469) and Erik Hvas (+ 1483); the last mentioned's son Lange Jens Hvas (+ before 1503) and his children Anna and Erik Hvas, who in 1514-15 because of debt had to sell O. to the bishop in Viborg. O. came to the Crown at the reformation; in 1579 it was exchanged to Hans Johansen Lindenov, but it came back to the Crown in 1581. Frederik III transferred in 1661 O. to rentemester Mogens Friis (of Vadskærgård) of Faurskov; he gave it the name Frisholt. He transferred it in 1672 to his daughter Mette Friis, m. to High Court judge, etatsråd Christoffer Lindenov (+ 1697). At an auction after her it was sold to etatsråd Andreas Lowsen, but he sold it in 1737 to Hans Rosborg of Haraldslund  (+ 1752), who 1750 conveyed it to his son skovrider, krigsråd Hans T. Rosborg (+ 1779) whose widow Anna Wassard married amtmand, kammerråd Niels Ferslev (+ 1803).

Later owners: Hans Henrik Georg Halling, J.G.Ipsen, Christopher Joachim Gotfred Barner, A. Schønheider, Peter B.W. Sandholt, August Ditlev Friis v. Buchwald, H. Estrup, who gave the manor its old name Ormstrup. 1907: J. Laursen, 1930 Daniel Laursen.     


Owner today: Niels Due Jensen

Ormstrup today: 


In the parish was a village Simenstrup or Simmelstrup (1371 Simenstrup, 1404 Simmelstrop) and the farm Helbæk (1348 Helbeck),  which belonged to Laurits Hvas and Niels Brasen .


Listed prehistorics: 9 hills and a longhill, the 43 m long Langgård høj at the vicarage field
Destroyed or demolished: 40 hills, 7 of these made a group Hundshøje at Skibelund.

In Sahl mose was found a large number of bronze rings from Celtic Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages:
Sahl (1348 Sael, 1355 Salæ); Skibelund (1354 Skiblund); Ormstrup (1419 Oremstorp); Vinkelholm (1580 Vinkelholm).

Source: Trap Danmark Viborg amt 1962.

Asperup church / Asperup kirke, Vends herred, Odense amt.

Asperup church, 10 km east of Middelfart

  
       
 Asperup Church was in the Catholic period consegrated to Our Lady. It was originally a Romanesque ashlar church with nave and a choir with apse, built upon a profiled couble plinth. In the north wall are traces of two Romanesque windows. In the late Middle Ages was the choir-bending demolished, and the choir was extended to the east in monk bricks where were also used granite ashlars from the down-broken eastern gable. The choir extension - in which was built an octagonal rib vault -  got the same broadth as the nave, but the old choir's flank-walls were unusually retained, and the western part of the choir is more narrow than the eastern. The new choir gable was decorated with glares and a stair-gable. The big flat-curved eastern window was later bricked up. In the north wall is a double point-arched hiding-niche. In the late Gothic period the western bay of the choir was overvaulted and the choir arch was extended. The nave got two bays of cross vaults. The large west tower and the porch to the south are late Gothic additions, both built in monk bricks with a few ashlars in the wall. A stair house to the south of tower. The high vaulted bottom room of the tower is connected to the nave in a broad pointed arch. In present time was placed heavy supporting pillars at the north side of the nave.

The walled late Gothic communion table has got Renaissance panels;  three original by Knud Snedker from ab. 1580, the rest copied in modern time. The altarpiece is a richly carved bruskbarok-work. from ab. 1650 by Anders Mortensen. In the top piece is inserted a late Gothic crucifixion relief, probably from the altarpiece from 1589. In the middle field an oil painting, a copy after a painting by A. Dorph. Ore-cast candelabres from ab. 1650. A choir-panel with a priest-stool-door from 1641. The Romanesque granite font has a cylindric basin with achantus-vines and relief-carved monsters on the square foot-piece. A large brass baptismal bowl, a south German work from the 1500s with a later engraved year 1618. Above the font - which is placed in a walled portal-niche in Baroque style by the northside of the choir-extension - hangs a Holy Spirit-dove, probably from a Renaissance sounding board. The pulpit from 1580 is a signed work by "Knud Snedeker Baarger i Melfaar", but it was changed in the middle of the 1600s by placing the reliefs and figures of Anders Mortensen, so there is nothing left from Knud Snedker but the door of the pulpit. Sounding board in high Renaissance and a backpanel with simple paintings from the 1700s. Upon the wall of the nave a magnificent late Gothic crucifix-group by Claus Berg in Odense from ab. 1510-1520. The organ-gallery contains parts from a Renaissance gallery. In the choir a large chandelier from the 1600s. At the door an iron-bound "poor man's block". A pretty iron-bound oak door from 1513 by Anders Smed. In the tower room a Madonna- relief from the 1300s and a late Gothic figure, an image of Anna selvtredie. The two church bells are cast by Mathias Bennig in Lübeck 1596 and 1598. In 1589 the church had besides the two large bells also two small mass bells above the choir in "a pretty little spire". 

In Asperup was in the Middle Ages a main farm, which together with several other farms in the parish was conveyed in 1461 to hr. Eggert Frille by bishop in Ribe Henrik Stangeberg.

The Danes had a fortificated place upon Skodshøj during the Swedish war. In Båring skov ("Tokelun")  was found wall work,which according to a legend belongs to a Røverborg (robber's castle).  

Ab. 1450 were in Asperup mentioned the farms Ellegard and Hiortholm, in Båring in 1461 Westersgard and in 1489 in Kærby a house called Røtz toffth. On Båring mark (field) was probably a village Bolby, which is seen in the field-names Boel Bye Riis, .- Bech, - Rue, mentioned in 1682. A field.- name 1682 Tharup Kaars on Kærby Søndermark might suggest that a village Tarup was placed south of Kærby.

Listed prehistorics: a hill close to the beach east of Båring skov.
Demolished. a round dolmen, a stone grave, a stone cist, 8 hills.

village house, Asperup

In the parish, especially by Båring, are several settlements from  late Stone At Vedels have were found several affaldsgruber (waste pits) from Celtic Iron Age. Urn grave sites from Iron Age are known from Jensbjerg south of Asperup and at Båring skov.

Names from the Middle Ages:
Asperup (1423 Aspedorp); Båring (1446 Baringe, Boringe); Kærby (ab. 1350 Kerby); Ringstedgård (1500s Rinngstedth); Hedegård (1547 Hede); Risumgård (1465 Ryswm); Risumlund (1546 Risomlundt).

Source: Trap Danmark Odense amt, 1956. 
photo 2004: grethe bachmann

Billum church / Billum kirke, Vester Horne herred, Ribe amt.

Billum church, ab.10 km west of Varde
Billum sogn, Vester Horne herred, Ribe amt.
 
The white-chalked Billum church with leaden roof has a richly furnished apse, choir and nave and a later added sacristy, porch and tower. It was in its original look a fine example of the Ribe-district's tufa-stone churches.  The Romanesque core, which is the apse, the choir and the nave, is built upon a granite-plinth, while the tufa-walls are parted in reliefs and round-arch friezes, but they were somewhat renewed with bricks in a restore in 1880. A walled-in window is above the door of the sacristy, all other windows in Romanesque shape seem to be placed in their original place, but they have all been re-newed. Both doors of the nave are kept, the north door is walled-in, the south door is still in use. The added buildings are all from the late Middle Ages and built in monk bricks. The sacristy has a cross-vault, the tower has smooth gables, while the bottom tower room has a cross-vault and opens to the nave in a high, narrow arcade. The inside of the church is unusually high, it has beamed ceilings in choir and nave, while the apse has a half-cupola vault - the choir was earlier cross-vaulted. The Romanesque choir arch is preserved with profiled kragbånd.


 





The communion table is built in tufa-stone, upon this lies a granite-plate with a reliquary. The altar piece is a Renaissance-carved work, undoubtedly from the beginning of the 1600s, built into one large piece, divided into three parts with Tuscany pillars, sidewings and a top-piece, divided into two parts. In the fields are placed the original paintings (in 1965) . A Romanesque granite font and a south German baptismal bowl from ab. 1575. The pulpit, carved year 1634, is decorated with Ionian pillars as a frame around arcade-fields with relief-carved images of the four Evangelists. At one of the gables of the pews is carved "Elin Gødis 1581". The church owns a medieval wooden sculpture. Furthermore rests of a Mary-altar. In the Mary-figure was in 1918 found 19 coins from Chr. II's and king Hans' rule - they are now in the National Museum. Finally a late medival altar cupboard. In the sacristy a priest- or confessional-stool, similar to the stool in Janderup church and a small series pastorum 1750. The bell with minuskel-inscription is from 1432, cast by master Peter Jensøn on request of the parish priest hr. Jacob. In a restore in 1956 all the inventory was cleansed and painted, and the tower was face-walled. In 1954 was brought to light a medieval painted frieze with coat of arms.




Billumgård was in 1580 a noble-farm, which belonged to Knud Henriksen. In 1635 Otte Kruse's widow fru Sophie Staverskov exchanged it to Ribe chapter. In 1722 the king conveyed it to Peder Endorph at Hennegård.

In Kelst plantation is seen a cross of turf in the heather, the cross-arms are 4,7 m long and 1,6 m broad, here was once a church, Højbjerg church; a lime-tree is plant in the middle of the cross.
In Klokkepyt north of Billum was Billum church bell said to be cast.

In Billum church were in 1954-55 found 88 coins spread, of which 39 Danish coins from Valdemar II till Frederik VIII.

In a digging at a farm in Tarp were in 1818 found 22, mostly German speciedalers, and many little coins (last year 1642).

Listed prehistorics: 6 hills, of which 4 in a group at Billum heath north of the village.
Destroyed or demolished: 16 hills.

A small tuft burial-site from Celtic Iron Age is known from the parish.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Billum (1324 Bælium) ; Tarp (1342 Belium thorp, 1486 Tarp, 1494 Torp); Hannevang (1291 Hanærwangh); Billumgård (1638 Billomgaard); Kærgård (1661 Wed Kier, 1688 Kiern boell).

Source: Trap Danmark, Ribe amt, 1965. 
photo Billum church 2003: grethe bachmann