Linnerup church/Linnerup kirke, Vrads herred, Skanderborg amt.

The church in Linnerup is according to the inscription upon the church bell consecrated to Sct. Peter. It has a nave and choir and a tower to the west. The original Romanesque granite ashlar building upon a bevel plinth is changed much in recent times. Only the choir has been preserved, its outer walls were in 1880 walled with small bricks.  A Romanesque window is still seen as a niche in the eastern wall. An inserted cast iron tablet in the gable from 1866 refers to that the dilapidated nave in 1866 was broken down and rebuilt in the old materials and was extended to the west. The tower was built at the same time, in granite ashlars and red bricks. It has a low, square spire and entrance to the tower room in the west side. The tower room functions as a vestibule.  In the choir is built a late Gothic cross vault, the nave has a boarded tagstol (roof stool) (changed in 1893).The choir arch has been rebuilt. The church is whitewashed and roofed with tiles. A main restoration was done in 1960-61.

The choir vault has late Gothic frescoes (a naive image of wheel of fortune). The triumph wall is in 1924 decorated with a frescoe by J.Th.Skovgaard. Communion table panel in Renaissance from ab. 1610. The altarpiece is a painting from 1893 (copy after C. Bloch). Romanesque granite font with a rough rope winding along the edge. A pulpit in Renaissance style ab. 1600 with a new partiel decoration. Newer church benches. Upon the western wall a *klingpung in copper and a late Gothic Maria figure from a crucifix group. The bell with inscription in Danish and Latin is cast "anno MCDXC decimo" by Peter Hansen in Flensborg.
 
* purse on a long stick and a little bell, used for collecting money in church.

gravehill outside Linnerup (winter)

Lønsgård was in 1485 2 farms,which Iver Eriksen (Fasti) got according to law. His sister's daughter Magdalene Spend was m. to Mogens Kaas (Sparre-K.) of Ørndrup, who in 1549 seemingly owned L.,  to which his daughter Helvig Kaas (+ unmarried ab. 1633) wrote herself in 1593-1625. In 1633 it was owned by her brother's son Otte Kaas of Nandrup, but in 1634 by his brother Claus Kaas of Sø, who in 1636 exchanged L. to Jytte Brok of Gl. Estrup (+ 1640).  It belonged hereafter to her son Christen Jørgensen Skeel and was in 1662 "en liden herregård" ( a small manor);  in 1671 he conveyed it with 1 farm to Anne Cathrine Normann, widow after Johan v Vittinghof. She sold it in 1679 to Joachim Fr.Pentz of Åstrup, but after his death in 1682 she conveyed it in 1683 with estate to his daughters Ingeborg Christine, Eva Margarethe and Frederikke Amalie Pentz. In 1687 the farm belonged to the Crown, who in 1688 laid it out as ryttergods(military) and in 1690 gave lieutenant Peter Hirschhouver a life's letter on it; in 1754 it was a farm under Hammergård, later under Hvolgård.

Listed prehistorics:  Firhøjene at Hjortsvang: 3 grown-together hills; a fourth is demolished.
Demolished or destroyed: 20 hills.

In one of the Tvillinghøjene  (twin hills) were found urns and 3-4 gold rings. At Hjortsvang were found a burial site from early Roman period and a grave from late Roman period with a bronze casserole, glass, amber pearls etc.

Names from the Middle Ages:
Linnerup (1489 Lundrop, 1490 Lyndrop); Hjortsvang (1485 Hiorttzwong, 1499 Hiortzwangh); Lønsgård (1474 Lousgaard, 1485 Løns gaarde.)

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964. 

photo 2002: grethe bachmann   

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

 

The large church in Hvirring has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave; it is built in granite ashlars. It has a Gothic western tower and a porch to the south from ab. 1600, both in monk bricks with use of granite ashlars in the bottom sections. The apse was in the Gothic period divided from the choir by a barrier wall with two doors, it has a bevel plinth - the halfcupola vault of the room has two ribs and was probably changed when the barrier wall was built. A Romanesque window to the east is preserved and - as an outside glare: an original circular window to the southeast. The choir has a plinth with a round-stick profile. In the northwall are both Romanesque windows preserved, to the south stands the western window as an outside glare. Here is also seen a small low-placed window (hagioskop), maybe used for the communion of the lepers. Under this window is an ashlar with a cup-shaped hollow. The broad Romanesque choir arch has a bevel plinth and kragbånd with animal- and plant windings in relief. The nave, which stands upon a bevel plinth, has from original details kept the four windows on the north side, but nr 1 and 3 window from west have been remade. The doors of the nave are also Romanesque, both with a tympanum. The tympanum of the south door is smooth, while the north door is decorated with a wooden relief and acanthus-windings. The late Gothic tower, which possibly has replaced an earlier, narrower tower, had originally a free-stair to the north up to a narrow door in the middle storey; now there is only access to the upper storeys through a trapdoor in the vault of the tower room. Wall-anchors form the initials TT-ET and the year 1778, which refer to a rebuild, and the upper section of the tower and its present low pyramid spire possibly derive from this. The tower room is connected to the nave in a round-arched arcade. In the choir is one, in the nave four bays cross-vaults of late Gothic type, according to tradition built by Claus Glambek of Rask, (+ 1591), who for this work probably used stones from the demolished Boring kirke. Large building works at the church is mentioned in Chancellery-letters 31/7 1590 and 7/6 1593.

The altar decoration is a large mural by Joakim Skovgaard from 1919. The communion table is decorated by J. Th. Skovgaard. A painting of Christ from the 1880s hangs in the nave. Upon the altar table stands a small crucifix with a leaden figure, possibly from the 1700s, upon a new wooden cross. The chalice with the year 1699 has earlier parts; in the cup is engraved the court of arms of Reventlow. A large cylindrical , Romanesque granite font with a simple round stick-decoration. Baptismal dish from 1918.  Pulpit in early Renaissance-style from ab. 1600. Pews from restoration 1917-19. A church ship, a modern model of Chr. IV's ship "Enhjørningen" (the Unicorn). Bell from 1639, according to inscription recast at the request of Chrestofer Pacsk of Rask.













In the nave an epitaph with rich carvings in acanthus-Baroque for Movrids Hanssøn Højer of Rask (+ 1722), and wife Gjertrud Movridsdatter Borchast, (+ 1709). In the north wall of the choir is bricked a portrait-gravestone with the family-coat of arms of above mentioned Claus Glambek (+ 1591), his widow Berete Rosenkrantz and the daughters Mergrete and Kirstine, who are buried under the choir, where were found burial chambers in 1917 and 1940. In the floor of the nave a worn out priest-gravestone. Upon the church yard are several old gravestones from the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s.


Upon the socalled Kirkebakke (church hill) south of Boring village is the site of Boring kirke, it is now grassgrown and plant with large ashes. It was listed in 1949 and a memorial is raised. In the grass is seen the contours of choir and nave of a Romanesque plan-type, but a marl pit in the western part of the bank has swallowed the traces of a tower. The church is mentioned in 1524, but in 1548 "the desolate church" is mentioned at Navlhale (Rask mølle), and the church was said to be demolished by Claus Glambeck.   

Rask belonged in 1492 to Las Grøn, in 1498 to the brothers Erik and Søren Gødesen, in 1532 still to Søren Gødesen, in 1543 and 1552 to his widow Karen, in 1552 and 1563 to the son Iver Sørensen Rask (Gødesen), in 1565 and 1577 to his widow Barbara Splidsdatter (Fasti), since they left no children the farm came to his sister Maren Sørensdatter (Gødesen)(+ 1600); widow after Niels Glambek,  and her son Claus Glambek (+ 1591). His widow Birgitte Rosenkrantz is in 1592 and 1609 written of R., which the daughter Sophie Glambek (+ 1620) in 1609 brought to her husband Mogens Pax (+ 1642), who in 1634 conveyed half the farm to his son Christoffer Pax, who in 1650 was murdered at R. His widow Hilleborg Bille owned the farm still in 1661. Later it was owned by Mette Grubbe (+ 1683), widow after Ebbe Ulfeld of Urup, her brother Alexander Grubbe conveyed 1686 half of R. and some estate to Mourids Hansen Høyer (+ 1722), who in 1689 bought the other half and some estate from Mathias Frederik Lützow of Vedbygård, whose stepchildren (Sivert Grubbe's children) had inherited this part after their paternal aunt Mette Grubbe.

Later owners: Hans Marcussen, Laurids Amnitzbøll, Andreas Bjørn, H.G.Bechmann, Herman Christiansen from Flensborg, auction, Ebbe Sørensen Høllund, Skanderborg amts udstykningsforening (=outparcelling), In the 1920s the main building was bought by widow Dorph-Broager: rekonvalescenthjem (resting home) in 1964.

The present main building from 1700-1800s is built upon a very large rectangular castle bank, surrounded by water-filled moats. There are no specific informations, but Claus Glambek did probably build a great residence here at Rask in the late 1500s. The main building has a very idyllic location  behind the vigorous tree growth of the castle banks.

Peder Rask conveyed in 1323 estate in Boring and Hvirring to hr. Niels Brok the Elder, who in 1324 also got estate in B. as a pawn from Palle Jensen from Støvring. His son's daughter Elne Pedersdatter Brok conveyed in 1365 her  fourth of B. to Valdemar Atterdag. According to a judicial letter of 1396 the rest belonged to a peasant; Erik and Jens Iversen Lykke renounced in 1400 and Mogens Munk of Boller in 1406 their rights in B.

Boringsgård belonged in 1626 to Knud Galt (+ 1650); Boring Hovgård was under Rask in 1662 and was
copyhold by 2 peasants.

In a moor north of Boring cvillage lies a site of the manor Boringholm, which belongs to the National Museum, and which in the 1300s belonged to the noble family Brok, but it is not mentioned after 1400. Excavations in 1906-12 have shown that the farm was built out in the moor, several hundred oak poles have been driven in. Here was a four-winged main building (30x30 m) with front-castles east west, and with bridges to the land to the north and south. Besides a big amount of building material were found parts of waggons, clothes, ab. 300 pair of shoes ( many "nose"-shoes from 1350-1400), belts, weapons, harness, plates from armor, a large sword in scabbard, crossbows, seals, forks, wooden shovels, knives with scabbards, tools, barrels, pieces from Danish and foreign ceramics, gloves, checkers, and parts of a gameboard for Merrills. (Nine Man Morris). All the finds are from the 1300s and the small finds are now at the National Museum.

Rask mølle was earlier called Navlhale mølle after a nearby house (1683 Naufl hol husz, Nagelhaal, Nagellholldsschouffhuusz).

Listed prehistorics: the 65 m longhill Langbjerg which now lies in the middle of a large gravel pit west of the village and 14 hills, of which several are large: Grifshøj at Hvirring, somewhat remade into a garden hill, Gulbjerghøj and Grønhøj at Rask Gammelmark, Låddenhøj in Rask skov, 4 hills nortwest of Honum and two hills north of Trebjerg.
Demolished or destroyed: a long dolmen in Rask skov and 98 hills, of which a large part were in a belt, which went east-west through the parish from north of Trebjerg across Hvirring, Honum and Rask Gammelmark to the Gudenå river valley.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Hvirring (1323 Hwiruingh, 1492 Hwering); Honum (1447 Huorum, 1488 Hornum); Boring (1323 Borthingh); Kodallund (1348 Kodallund, 1511 Kodelundt mark); Trebjerg (1345 Thrybyærgh, 1492 Treberg (h)); Rask (1453 Rask);  Kokborg (1664 Køcke Borg).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.    

photo 2003: grethe bachmann

Gammellund, Mors, North Jutland, Thisted amt.

Gammellund, ab. 20 km southwest of Nykøbing Mors
Øster Assels sogn, Morsø Sønder herred, Thisted amt.

Gammellund is is now situated far from the beaten track on the southernest tip of the island Mors, where the hills end in the salt beach meadows along the coast of Limfjorden. The farm is now unimpressive and outparcelled, but it was once a grand place. Lund or Lundegård was the king's permanent castle, placed by the important arterial road (adelvejen = nobility road), leading from Thyholm through Mors, first across Tambo Sound to Jegindø, next a short sailing trip to Hester Odde at Mors. Between Sillerslev Øre and Nymølle in Salling was a ferry route of importance.

There were often feuds about the disposals of the ferry routes among the inhabitants in north and south - in 1598 Henrik Below of Spøttrup tried in vain to prevent the vasal at Lund, Thomas Fasti, in using the ferry at Nymølle (belonged to Spøttrup) - and as late as ab. 1850 Gammellund's owner fought with the Jegindø- commoners about the ferry-privilege. The first historically known owner of Lund, hr. Johan Gotskalksen Skarpenberg, who wrote himself of the farm in 1404, had a large estate south of the Limfjord, among others Spøttrup.


Salling, Nymølle nær færgested "Pinen og Plagen".

The large, overgrown castle bank, which is in the garden just north of the farm, reminds of the vanished greatness of Lund. The bank rises steep from the moat, which had an outer bank on three sides. The fourth bank is levelled, measuring ab. 80 x 53 m and was by a cross moat divided in two. This is a so-called castrum-curia plan, which had its actual fortification upon a lesser, now out-digged northeastern bank, while the buildings were at the large southwestern bank, which was with buildings until 1818. The earliest buildings were probably wood- or half-timbered houses, although bricks have been found, but the plan must be from before Skarpenberg's time.

The Skarpenberg family was one of several North German magnate-families, who came to Denmark in the 14th century, when the Holstein princes infiltrated the Nordic countries. Hr. Johan's father Gotskalk Skarpenberg had via marriage to Niels Bugge's daughter Elisabeth (Lisbeth) achieved a large estate. Spøttrup and Højriis belonged to the estate, which hr. Johan sold, but he was also said to have lost Lund. According to legend he had to give his estate to the Crown and escape land and kingdom , because he had burnt down a royal castle. It is doubtful, if there is any historical base of this, for Skarpenberg was one of the mightiest men in the kingdom and one of queen Margrethe's most trusted men. He is probably mentioned as a rigsråd in 1417, but was dead four years later and buried in Viborg cathedral. But his estate at Mors made later up a royal vasalry with own judicial rights, which included Vester and Øster Assels parish. In 1605 was Jegindø parish added.


Salling, Spøttrup Castle

In 1651 were Lund plus Bustrup in Salling laid out to two of the Crown's creditors, two brother's-in-law, Hamburg-merchants Albert Baltzer Berns and Leonhard Marselis. When Bern's daughter Elisabeth in 1654 married her father's earlier trainee and later partner, admiralitetsråd Poul Klingenberg, she probably brought Lund to him. Klingenberg was ennobled in 1669 - he belonged to those creditors of the Crown, who after 1660 by lay out was given much estate (Dueholm, Hanerau), and he bought himself more estate (Højriis, Ørum). Beyond his business he went into the government service in an active way and reorganized the mail services. But it proved, that he overreached himself and had too much bad estate; besides he was involved in transactions leading to lawsuits, which finally brought him on the verge of bankruptcy. Five years before his death he had in 1685 to give up the mail services, but he transferred at the same time Lund, Højriis and Ørum as a maternal inheritance to his only son, Poul von Klingenberg; thus it was saved for the family.


Mors, Gammellund, castle bank

In 1724 more than 40% of the peasant-estate at Mors still belonged to the Klingenberg-family, but Lund was hardly inhabited. Both the young Poul von Klingenberg (+ 1723) and his son, etatsråd Frederik Christian von Klingenberg, resided at Højriis. The last mentioned's widow, Anne Cathrine von Bülow married in 1751 oberst Philip Gotfred von Samitz, and the following year was built a new main building at Lund, a four-winged, half-timbered building plan with tailed roofs. Samitz died in 1762, his widow a year after, whereafter Lund and Blistrup plus taxes and peasant-estate were sold to kancelliråd Thomas Thomsen Lund at Grinderslev Kloster.

Thomas Lund is one of more interesting owners. He was born in 1727 at the manor Slumstrup, and he first speculated in estate-trading, before he came to Mors. He was an energetic farmer - there are legends about him as a "peasant-tormentor". The ghost of the one-legged "Thomas Pileben" (pile = dart off) is still riding his horse between Øster Assels and Gammellund, and in 1805 was written that his name was still mentioned in fear. But the management of the farm was improved, and in 1768 he built a solid farmbuilding. He also established tileworks, limeworks and a faience- and stoneware factory, founded by royal privilege as the first outside Copenhagen. But in spite of good materials and sales' conditions the factory became a big disappointment, and he died a ruined man in 1777. Already before his death estate and factory were at auction, but it was his widow, who in 1778 sold to Hans Meulengracht and Saxo Aschanius.


Mors, landscape

The new owners continued the factory-work, but this only lasted for a short time. In 1784 Meulengracht left the partnership, and it seems the work had come to a stop. The factory building is still mentioned in 1798 in a fire-evaluation. Aschanius died in 1788, and his widow sold six years later the estate to two estate-speculators, landsdommerne Peter Severin Fønss and Henrik Johan de Leth, who sold out more than 300 *tønder hectare peasant-estate, whereafter they in 1798 let the rests pass on to Viborg's byfoged Thomas Wissing. In 1804 he achieved royal permission to divide the manor in two parcels, Lund and Peterslund,which had happened already the previous year.

Lund now went from hand to hand; in 1818 Chr. Jacobsen of Hegnet took over the property, which was divided once again, since the parcel Katrinelund was laid out. From here was Nylund later laid out. Oberst v. Samitz' main building was broken down, and the living quarters were moved away from the old castle bank. An earlier horse stable and cart shed, which were placed at Thomas Lunds farm building, were now farmhouse. This simple white-washed building still stands, while the big barn from 1768 burnt down in 1945.
Gammellund, which the strongly reduced main parcel is called, was sold in 1818 to Chr. Jacobsen's son-in-law Søren de Stiernholm and came in 1823 to Christian Riis at Blistrup, who in 1846 gave it to his daughter's son, rigsdagsmand, justitsråd Johan Chr. Bonne, who had it until 1880. The estate changed owner a few times, until it was sold to J. Jensen in 1929. Large tracts were out-parcelled in 1936, and Gammellund was now just a farm of 70 *tønder land, which in 1966 belonged to Laurits Jensen.

* 1 tønde land = ab. 0,55 hectare = 5.516,2 m²

Source: Trap Danmark, Thisted amt, Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 12, Nordvestjylland, 1966, ved arkivar Flemming Jerk.


photo 2002/2007: grethe bachmann.

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

Østbirk church, ab. 15 km southwest of Skanderborg
Østbirk sogn, Voer herred, Skanderborg amt.

The large church has a probably late Romanesque nave with a late Gothic cross arm to the south and tower to the west - and a longhouse choir from the Renaissance period and a porch to the south, very rebuilt ab. 1800. The Romanesque part of the longhouse is built in granite boulder and travertine in the beginning of the 1200s, but without special details. A couple of octagonal granite pillars in the vicarage-garden, which supposedly were parts of the church portals, more likely belonged at Urup manor. In the late Gothic period was in the Romanesque nave built three cross vaults, and at its eastern end were added two cross arm chapels, of which only the southern still stands, furnished as a burial chapel. The similar north chapel, which was furnished as a burial for Peder Skram and others, was broken down in 1856. The tower is also late Gothic; it has a cross vaulted bottom room, a pointed tower arch and a staircase in the southern wall with a flat curved door.



In the medieval nave were found frescoes from the beginning of the 1500s and coat of arms for Christen Skram (+ after 1512) and Anne Reventlow. The altarpiece was brought here in 1582 from Ring kloster; it is a pretty, late Gothic carving, which according to a disappeared inscription was made in 1480 in the prioress Dorthea Lauridsdatter's time by the painter Vilhelm. It reminds in structure about Bernt Notkes high altarpiece in Århus Cathedral and has three large figures in the middle field; inside in the movable wings are lesser biblical figures and outside and upon the outer wings are well-kept biblical paintings. The altarpiece was restored in 1892. Chalice 1745 with Grabow coat of arms. An earlier chalice is now used in Yding church. The massive Renaissance candelabres were in 1577 given by Peder Skram and Elsebe Krabbe. A Romanesque granite font, unusually large with flat reliefs of two lions , dragon and a small human figure with shield or hammer. A small south German bowl ab. 1550-75. A carved sounding board in Bruskbaroque, probably a Horsens-work with painted year 1706. Very elegant pulpit in high Renaissance from the time just before 1600 with biblical reliefs, closely related to the pulpit in Århus Cathedral and probably made by its master Gert van Groningen. Later sounding board ab. 1700. Gallery in rural Rococo from ab. 1775 with finely painted allegoric pictures and figures. Two church ships from ab. 1920 and 1950, the last "Trefoldigheden." Late Romanesque bell without inscription.

Several grave memorials. Memorial at church yard for Peder Skram, a 2,5 high stone with the relief of a ship of the line. In the choir two very pretty grave stones 1) 1579 For Christen and Peder Skram, both + in 1566, with figures of warrior and boy 2) admiral Peder Skram of Urup( + 1581) and wife Elsebe Krabbe (+ 1578) with two figures, warrior and lady. The church belonged to Voer kloster in the Middle Ages.

Urup was in 1448 owned by Henrik Madsen, in 1450 by Peder Skram, whose son-in-law Erik Christensen (Fasti) is written to it in 1466-71, while the brother-in-law Christen Skram owned it 1487 and still at his death in 1512. The farm was inherited by his son rigsadmiral hr. Peder Skram (+ 1581) and his son Niels Skram (+1601), whose only child Elsebe Skram ,who was married to Eske Bille of Svanholm (+ 1608) dissipated all her estate. Later owners Corfitz Ulfeld, Groeben, Gyldencrone, Gersdorff, v. Pentz, Stjernholm, Trampe, Soelberg, Schmidten, Kiær, Bremer, Mørck, Juhl, Høgdall. Owner from 1943 A. Enggaard.


Julianelyst

Julianelyst, a copy of the main building in the pond.

Sophielyst (Julianelyst) was established by Ulrik Christian Schmidten, it got name after his wife and was sold to baron Ove Henrik Juul of Rysensten, who after his wife gave it the name Julianelyst. Owner 1947 J.T.Jørgensen.

Lillerup in Ovsted was by Peder Skram transferred to Østbirk sogn; it was for a long time under Urup. In 1795 Ulrik Christian Schmidten sold it to kancelliråd Anders Kruse in Horsens and Erik Chr. Grave Hoppe. From 1957 H.A. Friis.

Birknæs was pawned by the Crown in 1563 to mayor Christoffer Skaaning in Horsens. 1790 it was a farm under Urup, later divided into two farms.

Peder Skaft willed in 1264 a farm in Purup to Øm kloster, which was confirmed in 1293 by his relatives Mogens and Christian Bentsen and king Erik Menved.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Østbirk (* 1267 Byærkæ, 1345 Byørkye, 1544 Bierck szogen, Østbierck) ; Vestbirk (* 1425 Westerbierck marck, 1511 Westbierck); Sattrup (* 1471 Satrop, 1494 Sattrop); Monbjerg (* ab. 1363 Manæbyærgh, 1476 Moneberigh); Vrænge (1683 Wrenge Agre); Purup (* 1264 Pugetorp); Birknæs( * 1425 Bierckenes); Urup (* 1448 Vrup, 1487 Wrop); Lillerup ( * 1499 Lillerop marck); Tingstedholm (* 1433 Tingstedt mølle, 1568 Holms Mølle, Tingstedholm); Naldal (* 1519 Naldal, Nalldals marck).

Listed prehistorics: In Julianelyst forest a dolmen chamber without cover stone. 10 hills of which several are large: two south of Østbirk, one somewhat outdigged south of Vestbirk and one very outdigged at Lillerup.

Demolished or destroyed: 124 hills, mainly in a broad belt through the parish from south east to north west. In a hill at Vestbirk was found a grave from early Bronze age with sword, knife, flint, gold ring etc. - At Monbjerg was found a strange richly decorated bone knife. In Sattrup Mose were found 150 neck- and arm rings in bronze from Celtic Iron Age. An early Roman period grave with two bronze casseroles were found at Monbjerg.

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.


photo Østbirk church 2004: grethe bachmann

Hee church / Hee kirke, Hind herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Hee Church, ab. 9 km north of Ringkøbing
Hee sogn, Hind herred, Ringkøbing amt.

The very impressive church in Hee north of Ringkøbing and not far from Stadil fjord is one of the strangest and most important buildings in Denmark from the Romanesque period. Once it was a herredskirke (district church) and it was probably inaugurated to Vor Frue. It has a Romanesque choir and nave and a little later was added another Romanesque front hall and a tower to the west and two additions at the south side of the nave, the westernest probably from the late Gothic period, the other probably from the middle of the 1500s. Furthermore was at the northside of the choir a probably late Gothic sacristy, which was demolished after 1769. The choir and the nave have only kept few original details, since all windows are replaced with large neo-Romanesque from 1882-84. Only the simple bricked-up north door is traceable.


Inside the church are new beamed ceilings and the choir arch seems extended. In spite of a tough restoration the large interest is the very rich western section, where the details point at Ribe domkirke. The tower section is built in granite ashlars upon a profiled double plinth, from which raises pilastres which divide the facades in fields. The portal in the west gable has free pillars upon attic base and with palmet-decorated cubic capitals under a tympanum with double lions. In the top is a small pillar in every corner of the building and between them are to the north and south small circular windows, everyone carved in one stone, and to the west two similar halfcircular, everyone below a projecting grotesque human head. In the upper section of the tower is a double opening divided with a pillar, opening to each corner of the world, and a smooth gable to the east and west.


pulpit and parish clerk chair

The front hall has a low heavy ellipse arch to the nave and a similar connects on the west wall a stair tower to the south with a free-standing square pillar to the north, while between these are very broad round arches, supporting the upper section of the tower. Between the arches is a rectangular cupola vault. In the middle storey are two small rooms, which get their light from the small round windows. The archive of Hind herred was once kept here, probably in the northern side room ,which is the most isolated and a tradition says that they were a place of refuge for fru Ellen from Voldbjerg (Ellen Krag, married to Peder Skram?). The whole upper section of the tower is re-newed, since it after a break down was rebuilt in 1721 in bricks, and the strange western section was broken down to the ground during the thorough restoration in 1882-84. The two additions at the south side of the nave was on the same occassion normalized into Romanesque style. The western side was original a late Gothic chapel with a pointed arch to the nave and a cross-vault, the eastern probably from the middle of the 1500s, built in granite ashlars from No kirke which was demolished in the reformation -period. The whole building now stands with a blank granite wall and lead roof upon new roof works.

Late Gothic crucifix ab. 1450

Stone mason mark

Two human heads on the tower

The altarpiece is an impressive carved work in late Renaissance from 1635, probably by the same master as the altar piece in Gudum church. The four pillar structure has in the middle field a high relief of the Holy Communion, flanked by evangelists and apostles, in the top field the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The altar chalice has Renaissance-shape but is probably a copy. Very heavy Baroque candelabres upon very large feet. In the choir is a parish clerk stool in late Gothic style from ab. 1550 with the coat of arms of Juel and Munk and a priest chair in very rich high Renaissance, ab. 1600. A Romanesque granite font in West Jutland type. South German baptismal bowl ab. 1575. A font sounding board in Renaissance ab. 1650 with the coat of arms of Otte Krag and Anna Rosenkrantz. The pulpit with corner pillars and portal fields is a Renaissance work from the beginning of the 1600s, similar to the pulpit in Ringkøbing. In the portal fields fine paintings from the late 1700s. A contemporary sounding board. The manor pews have the year 1655 and the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Otte Krag and Anna Rosenkrantz. Other pews with the coat of arms of Fasti and Spend. The rest and more simple pews are from the same period. In the nave a fine Gothic choir arch crucifix from ab. 1450. A large ship model "Håbet." The bell was re-cast in 1932.


Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Hee (1291 He); Hvingel 1450 Hwyngel); Ejstrup (1465 Esdrup); Sirsbæk(1564 Siersbæk); Haelby (* 1474 Halbye); Agersbæk ( * 1474 Aunsbech, error for Aursbech, 1512 Agersb(æ)ck); Sønderby (* 1474 Sønnderbye); Nørkær (* 1486 Kier, 1664 Nørkierd); Voldbjerg(* 1433 Wolberg, 1443 Olbergh, 1453 Wolbergh); Sønderkær (1664 Synnderkierd); Nørgård (1547 Nørgaard); Folagergård (1610 Fold Agger); Hindø (1424 Hyngøø); Ølstoft (* 1475 Ølsztofftwad, 1664 Ølsztofft Gaard); Sanddal (1610 Sannddael); Bratbjerggård (1545 Bratberg); Voldbjerg Mølle (1664 Wolberg Mølle).

Voldbjerg is a main farm/manor, which in 1433-65 belonged to Peder Skram of Urup, who was married second time to Ellen Iversdatter (Krabbe or Krag?) Their daughter Ellen married Erik Christiernsen Fasti, who is mentioned of V. in 1473-84 and in 1474 claimed the farm by law. In 1474 are mentioned as earlier owners of V. old fru Ellen, hr. Iver Krag, hr. Johan Bjørnsen and hr. Peder Skram. Erik Fasti's wife Ellen Skram is mentioned of V. still in 1489, and from their children are mentioned Iver Eriksen of V. in 1485-94 and Peder Skram, who took the Skram-name after his maternal grandfather, in 1497-1537. The last mentioned's widow Christence Lunge is written to V. in 1543, and V. was inherited by the son Erik Skram and his brother Iver Skram, who is mentioned 1548-80.From his sons: Peder of Strandbjerggård (+ ab. 1613) Spend and Erik Skram (+ 1607), with his son Peder Skram the family died out; it seems that Spend Skram became the sole owner. He had given his wife Joland Jespersdatter (Vognsen livsbrev (to own for life) on V., but she came to soon in childbirth with her second husband Niels Lange of Skrumsager, and she was then judged to give the farm to her first husband's heirs, among whom Dorte Skram, married to Frands Poll of Starup (+ 1613). Later owners: Krag, Rantzau, Richter, outparcelling in 1795, main parcel sold to P. Grønlund, Clemmensen; owner 1936: L.N.Voldbjerg-Sørensen.


In a meadow ab. 250 m southwest of Voldbjerg is the old farm's Voldsted (castle bank), an oblong, castle site ab. 27 x 36 m. To the east a bridge lead over the now dried out moat. About 50 large oak planks were digged out at the castle site.

Agersbæk was earlier a main farm. In 1512 is mentioned væbner Niels of A., in 1532 Splid Bang and in 1538 it seems that Predbjørn Podebusk and Niels Ebbesen (Galt) had a part in the farm.It belonged later to Albert Friis of Haraldskær (+ 1601), whose daughter jomfru Lisbeth Friis in 1604 owned A., which she in 1625 leased to her brother-in-law Truid Bryske of Langesø. In 1627 Tønne Friis sold it on his late aunt's heirs behalf to rigsråd Niels Krag (+ 1650), whose son-in-law Hans Juul of Stårupgård in 1650 sold it to his brother-in-law Otte Krag of Voldbjerg. In 1688 3 peasants lived at A. and it belonged under Voldbjerg.

In 1465 is mentioned væbner Christiern Knudsen (Harbou) of Hee.

Sanddal vandmølle, established ab. 1545, was abandoned in 1674. In 1627 it belonged to the Crown.

Hindø belonged probably to Bo Høg of Ørum, whose son's son Lage Christensen Rød in 1424 had a feud with Ingeborg Vendelbo at Vosborg about H. among other things. When Søgård in Nysogn in 1604 was given to Mogens Juel by law, H. followed too. In 1626 and 1634 Otte Kaas (+ 1647) lived at H., which he later sold to Niels Krag, who placed it under Voldbjerg administration.

Hee Kro (inn) was earlier named Nørtoft (1610 Paa Tofft).

Listed prehistorics: 11 hills, all in the eastern part of the parish. At Bratbjerggård are Kvindhøjene, original 4, now only two left, one rather large. Two other large hills are in the heath to the east.
Demolished or destroyed: 12 hills, only two of these were in the southwestern part of the parish.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.


photo Hee kirke 2003: grethe bachmann