Odden Manor and Mygdal church, Region Nordjylland

Odden, wikipedia

Odden, Region Nordjylland, Mygdal sogn Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring Kommune. 



before 1970: Mygdal sogn, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring amt.





The family Lunge were the owners of Odden for about 300 years.

No owner of Odden is with certainty known until into the 15th century, where it belonged to the ancient family Lunge. Through marriage and inheritance this sjællandske ( zealand) family had resided in the northernest regions of Jutland. Hr. Anders Jacobsen Lunge, one of the richest and most respected noblemen in Denmark,  a rigshofmester and a member of the rigsråd, married in his youth hr. Peder Offesen Neb's widow fru Ingeborg Nielsdatter Panter, and with her he got considerable estate. A few years after her death was in 1419 legal change after his parents-in-law, hr. Niels Ovesen Panter and fru Johanne -   and much estate came to Anders from the region around Hjørring, like Knivholt and Bøgsted, the manor Odden was probably mentioned too.

landscape by Odden, foto gb

Hr. Anders Jacobsen Lunge had no heirs, a son of his cousin hr Oluf Andersen Lunge wrote himself of Odden in 1454. Hr. Oluf was one of his time's most excellent noblemen. He was the first known owner of Odden. He still lived in 1473. Odden came after his death to his son Oluf Olufsen Lunge who died in the 1470s, he was the last male of his family. His widow Karen Nielsdatter Banner brought Odden to her second husband Vil Thomasen Galskyt, who in 1479 and later wrote himself of the manor Odden, but Oluf Lunge's son-in-law Henrik Friis of Haraldskær (+ earliest 1500) was partly owner of Odden and later without doubt sole owner. After his first wife fru Anne Olufsdatter Lunge (with whom he had several children) died, he lived in a probably childless marriage with Margrethe Mogensdatter Krabbe of Bøgsted who outlived him with many years. The death year of both is not known.

Odden, wikipedia

The next owner Ove Vincentsen Lunge, who got the manor Odden via marriage to Anne Henriksdatter Friis (his first wife was Karen Eriksdatter Rosenkrantz +) played an important role among his contemporaries. His father was of the family Dyre, his mother of the family Lunge which earlier owned Odden, and he and his siblings took names after her. After king Hans's death he was soon a warrior, soon a diplomat, he was a member of rigsrådet, he achieved the knighthood and had important vasalries. He inherited Tirsbæk after his father, he got Odden with his second wife Anne Henriksdatter Friis and he bought Kragerup at Zealand, he had success as a farmer and he was a bibliophile too. He died in 1540, his wife, Anne Henriksdatter Friis, whose first marriage was to Bjørn Andersen Bjørn of Stenalt, outlived him with a couple of years.

Odden, foto gb

After Anne's death came Odden in 1542 to the son Tyge Lunge (Dyre) (+1545)(whose widow Sophie Nielsdatter Kaas (Sparre-K.) disclaimed liabilities on succeeding to property), and to Christoffer Lunge (Dyre), (who was killed in 1565 in the battle of Svarterå). He and his wife fru Karen Jørgensdatter Juel were buried in the chapel at Mygdal kirke.  Odden went to his son Ove Christoffersen Lunge (Dyre), whose wedding to Anne Maltesdatter Sehested was held at Odden. Ove Lunge died in 1601, and after his death Odden went to the son rigsmarsk hr. Jørgen Lunge (Dyre) of Birkelse etc.; he took part in the Kalmar war, had several vasalries and was from 1616 member of rigsrådet, he was rigsmarsk and ridder, he died already in 1619, only 41 years of age -  and was like his parents buried in Vor Frue kirke in Aalborg. His wife Sophie Stensdatter Brahe retained Odden for the time being, she outlived her husband with 40 years and saw almost all her children die in their best years of life, seven married daughters and the son Ove, the last male of the family, died before her,  only the daughter Ide outlived her.

Fru Sophie had in 1656 refrained Odden, Birkelse and Høgholt to her children and children-in-law. Høgholt came via the daughter Lisbet to the family Rosenkrantz, Birkelse came to a branch of the family Skeel and Odden was shared between the late Anne Lunge's son, Just Justesen Høg and Otte Skeel's widow, Ide Lunge, who swapped away her halfpart to her sister's son Mogens Christensen Skeel, who became the sole owner of Odden by in 1661 buying Just Høg's part. After him came Odden to the son Ove Lunge, who died unmarried in 1637, the last male of his family. His mother Sophie Stensdater Brahe ( + 1659) took over manor and estate.
And this was the end of the Lunge era at Odden.

Various owners


today:

 Odden J.F.Willumsen Collection

Odden, foto gb

he word Odden means an isthmus, a spit of land - the manor was built upon a spit of land, on the northernest spit of a low hillside or an isthmus, which grew out from a meadow surrounded on both sides by brooks which went together and formed a small lake, where the water was used for the mill.


The main building is one of the district's most interesting secular buildings, but its history is not fully known. The manor has three wings of which the built-together south and east wings are from the first half of the 1500s, while the low west wing in half-timbering is built ab. 1765. The oldest part is probably the east wing, with Ove Vincentsen Lunge as the building master. The white-washed wing has a red tiled roof. Remarkable is the great blændingskors (cross) upon the southern gable, a so-called patriark-cross placed between the two upper windows of the gable. The cross is the distinctive mark of the family Lunge and it shows that the east wing must be built in the Catholic period. The south wing with a gate-passage was probably built by Christoffer Lunge in the 1540s. Much later probably after a fire in 1763 is the present west wing which was built in half-timbering in one storey.

Odden might have looked rather sinister in its first time with the dark, heavy buildings without towers or spires and its small windows placed rather randomly. It was known as one of the oldest farms in all of Jutland, no older neighbouring moat sugessts, that it earlier was placed otherwise. Now the more than 400 years old buildings are whitewashed and lights up the landscape.

The land of the manor was outparcelled in 1945-46. Today Odden is used for exhibitions based upon a large collection of the Danish artist J.F.Willumsen's works.


Mygdal church., built about 1300.

Mygdal kirke, wikipedia

The rather desolate placed white-washed church in Mygdal has a late Romanesque choir and nave, a chapel by the north side of the choir from ab. 1550-60 and a porch from 1897. The late Romanesque building is mainly in bricks and is closely related to the Vendsyssel brick-work group. Both gables are re-walled. The choir arch inside is extended and both choir and nave have beamed ceilings. The large chapel at the northside of the choir was probably built by Christoffer Lunge as a burial chapel.

Interior: A walled communion table in monk bricks. The altar piece has sections from Renaissance with the coat of arms of Ove Lunge and Anne Sehested upon the foot piece;  it was re-made in Rococo in 1777 with the names of Pors Munch and Else Joh. Seidelin and a new painting. Chalice from 1761. Late Gothic ore candelabres. A small gilt alabast crucifix is now in the National Museum. A Romanesque granite font, half-circular basin upon a hollow pyramid-foot. A south German bowl from ab. 1575 with engraved coat of arms of Kaspar Markdaner and Sofie Oldeland. A late Gothic choir arch crucifix from ab. 1500 upon a new wooden cross.

Upon the north wall a pretty fresco of Maria with child from the late 1300s probably by the same painter who made Skt Kristoffer in Hjørring. Below Maria a coat of arms with chess-pattern, probably for Niels Mogensen Glob who was know in this region in 1394. A pulpit in simple Baroque with painted year 1777, repaired 1932. The church bell with the name "Rose" was cast in 1560 by Peder Lauridsen for Christoffer Lunge and hangs in a bell frame. In the choir wall a magnificent Renaissance grave stone from 1576 for Christoffer Lunge, who was killed in 1565 at Falkenberg and Karen Jørgensdatter( Juel) + 1556, with portrait figures of both.



source: Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 10, Vendsyssel, Odden, Danske kirker,

Lee church, Lee kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Lee church, ab. 12 km east of Viborg.

Lee parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt. 


Lee church has a choir, nave and a new tower to the west and at the north side a porch, which was rebuilt into a burial chapel. The kernel is choir and nave in Romanesque ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. The wall work seems rebuilt in present period, especially at the south side, where each trace from a portal has been wiped out. The choir gable is rebuilt into timber, upon the north side are three Romanesque windows, all extended in the lighting. The simple north door, which was used as entrance until 1932, is bricked-up, but is seen as a niche in- and outside. At the restoration of the church in 1932 the high white washed tower was built and the porch from 1858 was rebuilt into a burial chapel.

The church has beamed ceilings inside, and the choir arch has been kept. The large broad altarpiece is a Baroque carving from 1734, acc  to versified inscription Christen Skeel's widow, Augusta Vinterfelt let this year both altarpiece and pulpit renew, while herredsfoged (district bailiff) Peder Høeg let them decorate, in the middle field a big last supper painting, in the top piece Gethsemane, both paintings contemporary with the carvings. A Romanesque granite font. The pulpit from 1734 has in the fields half-length portraits of the Evangelists and the Saviour. Upon the wall a large Baroque epitaph for Anne Cathrine Lassen (+ 1736) and the above mentioned P. Høeg, (+ 1753) in wood, marbled, decorated and gilt. In the tower a medieval and very old bell without inscription. The church was restored again in 1949.  

Himmestrup belonged to Lange Jens Hvas of Ormstrup, whose widow Johanne Hansdatter of Vindum and son Erik Hvas 1511 transferred it to High Court Judge Niels Clementsen of Aunsbjerg. After this it was owned by Peder Ebbesen Galt of Palsgård (+ 1548), his son-in-law Erik Kaas (Sparre-Kaas) of Lindbjerg (+ 1578), his widow Kirsten Pedersdatter Galt (+ 1616) and their son rigsråd hr. Mogens Kaas of Støvringgård (+ 1656), who is the real founder of the main farm. After his daughter Mette Kaas' death 1695 the heirs sold on auction H. to Benedicte Margrete Brockdorff, widow after Jøgen Skeel of Gl. Estrup. The son grev Christen Scheel (+ 1731) and his son grev Jørgen Scheel (+ 1786) owned it, but sold in 1749 H. and Viskum to Hans Christensen Juul (+ 1769), whose heirs in 1770 deeded H. to their brother and brother-in-law kancelliråd Christen Juul of Viskum, who in 1787 sold it and Viskum to his son Hans Juul, who in 1795 had royal confirmation to sell the estate withlout loss of the hovedgårdsfrihed (main farm freedom) and the outparcelling, whereeafter he sold it in 1801 to birkedommer, kancelliråd Christen Hedegård (+ 1816).
Later owners: Margrethe Sehested; Elisabeth Birg. Preetzmann; Theodor Hermann Rendtorff; Jens Laursen; Anders Jensen; P. Rasmussen; Th. Thomsen; Chr. From in 1933.

A manor Restrup or Rejstrup supposedly was placed at Rejstrup Gaardsted, a hillside out into a valley at Krogstederne. The appointed place has no special traces after a farm site or trace from any fortification.  

Listed prehistorics: at Fruegårde two long dolmens close to each other: one Jyndovnen has a chamber with a cover stone. 10 hills, of which one at Himmestrup is rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 50 hills. Southwest of Lee was a pretty group Mangehøje, 10 hills, of which only 3 are kept. Besides seem to have been a couple of stone graves close to the listed long dolmens.

A runestone found downside the church hill was brought to Copenhagen, where it was lost in the fire in1728. The only left from inscription was "...dor...rejste denne sten efter ..." ("...dor-... raised this stone after...").

Names in  the Middle Ages  and 1600s: Lee (1449 Leedh, 1463 Lee); Nørre Tulstrup (1490 Tulstrvp); Krog (1411 Kraagsgaard); Knebberhede (1683 Kneberheede, Kneber Heede Huus, Kneber Husit); Koldbæk (1453 Kolbecks Møllestedt, 1664 Koldbech); Himmestrup (1490 Hemestrvp); Hedemølle (1664 Heede Mølle); Skærriskrog (1683 Skeris Krog); Kirkeskovgård (1683 Kirche Skou Krog; Ovenskovgård (1683 Owerskou); Vesterkrog (1683 Westerkrog Skouhuus) ; Restrup krog (1664 Reistrup Krog); Lille Torsager (1683 Lille Torsz Ager, Lille Tors Ager Huusz); Dunkø (1683 Donckøe, Dunckøe Huus.)  



Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb

News Lee church.
The old church bell is from the 1100s. The church has got a new bell which was inaugurated 27 June 2004. The bells hangs next to each other. The new bell takes care of the daily ringing by help of eletronics, while the old bell is only used for services. The National Museum does not allow the old bell to be used too much.

Hjorthede church/ Hjorthede kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Hjorthede church, ab. 17 km east of Viborg.

Hjorthede parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Hjorthede church is a Romanesque boulder building with choir and nave and a porch to the south, which was rebuilt in 1883. The choir and the eastern section of the nave are in ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. The western section of the nave is in raw field stones. Both original doors with smooth boulder frames are kept. The north door is bricked-up. Upon the northside trace of two Romanesque windows. The triangle gable of the choir was later taken down and rebuilt in bricks, like the western gable of the nave in present time was rebricked from the basis. Inside the church is a beamed ceilin, the choir arch with profiled kragsten is kept.


Upon the bricked communion table stands a late Renaissance altarpiece with carved year 1623,  in two storeys, where the main field has Baroque-looking sidewings with openwork arcades. The top piece, which is sawed off, shows that the altarpiece must be made for another church room - it was said to come here to Hjorthede ab. 1770 from Ulstrup castle chapel (with rests of coat of arms for Kaas and Skeel). In the main field a newer copy of a C. Bloch-painting. A Romanesque granite font. A simple pulpit, probably from the late 1800s. Between nave and porch is an iron bound door wing. In the south wall of the porch is inserted a gravestone in granite for Peder Sørensen, died at Himmestrup in 1721. In the choir inserted two large gravestones, brought up in 1955 from the floor of the nave, for Povl Sørensen in Ulstrup (+ 1610), and for Chresten Sørensen (+ 1649). The bell is in a bell frame at the church yard, it has a minuskel inscription and   was cast 1473. (New decorations see below)


Kællinghøl,  in the 1500s and 1600s was also called Hølingsholm,was earlier a main farm. In 1486 it was owned by Henning Hansen, later by the brothers Erik and Ove Hase, the last mentioned's son Elef Hase sold in 1501 his inherited part in K. to hr. Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz of Skjern. His daughter's son rigsråd Knud Rud (+ 1554), owned it in 1524; in 1557 it belonged to his daughter Kirsten Rud (+ 1612). She was married 1) to Jørgen Skeel of Jungetgård (died here in 1555); 2) married to Laurids Rostrup of Ristrup. Her son Albert Skeel, executed in 1609, was married to Anne Kaas (Sparre-Kaas), maybe the farm came from her to her cousin Mogens Kaas of Støvring, who in 1624 sold it to hr. Jørgen Skeel of Ulstrup. K. was laid under Ulstrup, until Peter Gottlieb Koch in 1841 sold it to Christen Jørgensen, whose son Christen Christensen in 1860 took it over, and in ab. 1870 built the present buildings. His son Christen Jørgen Christensen (+ 1923) and his son Folmer Rud Christensen owned the farm later. (1962)

East of Kællinghøl at the northern edge of the meadow along Gudenaa river lies the considerable and wellkept castle bank Gravene  (= the Graves),which consists of two castle banks, one large slant square (about 40x60 m), upon which surface were found monk brick- foundations, and in its northeast corner and divided by a grave a lesser, almost circular bank. A big dam out towards the river valley did - before it was broken through - put the surroundings of the two banks under water. 
The buildings of the farm were supposedly placed upon the large bank, to which was access across a smaller bank, which held the buildings for protection of the access-road (a Castrum Curia-plan, probably from the late Middle Ages.

A sacred spring was found a little north of Hjorthede's easternest farm.

Listed prehistorics: a group of 4 hills in Hjermind skov.
Demolished or destroyed: two dolmens and 17 hills.

At Hjorthede was found the cut-off of the outer end of a reindeer antler, a witness that the reindeer hunters were hunting in the district. From Hjorthede origins a large sacrifice find from late Bronze Age with  3 three-double necklace-rings, 2 spiral-bracelets, a piece of a sword etc.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Hjorthede (1403 Hiorthiede, 1423 Hiorthhædhæ); Sønder Tulstrup (1664 Sønderthulstrup); Kællinghøl (1486 Kierlinghøøll); Sløvkrog (1683 Slof Krog, 1688 Sløfkrog Gaard.)

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962   
photo: borrowed from Google Earth, 2013.



  















News about Hjorthede church. 
In 2000 an old coin was found on the church yard, a penning from Valdemar Sejr's rule , probably minted 1220. The church got in 2001 a church ship made by Ove Andreasen, Odense and given by Margrethe Nielsen.


Restoration and new decoration of the church 2008-2009, new colours and a new altar painting by the artist Anita Houvenaeghel. The altarpiece is the same.

Source: Hjorthede Borgerforening/website. 

Tapdrup church/ Tapdrup kirke, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Tapdrup church, ab. 5 km east of Viborg.

Tapdrup parish, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt. 

Tapdrup church is a Romanesque ashlar building, which refers to the building master school at Viborg cathedral. (see photo of Viborg cathedral below). The oldest section has choir with apse and nave, where a western gable joins a later built tower. The building rests upon a bevelled plinth. The wallwork of the northside was seemingly rebuilt in the 1500s and appears now in raw field stones, while the southside of the nave is partly rebuilt 1910-11. From original details is a kept a window in apse and the broad, magnificent south portal with triple arch form and free-standing columns. The similar flatcurved north portal is in its original place, but was re-bricked with monk bricks in the late Middle Ages and was then bricked-up. From late Gothic period origins the gable of the choir with bricked trappekamme ( steps)  and the tower, which at the bottom is built in re-used ashlars from the west gable and above in monk bricks, with steep gables north-south and which bottom room functions as a porch. a royal letter from 15 july 1549 which mentiones the repari of the church refers probably to the rebuild of the north wall. When the church much later, in 1902, got an organ, which gallery blocked the south door, the access to the church must have been placed at the tower room, which portal seemingly is from the period around the change of the century.

The apse has inside a halfcupolar vault, while choir and nave have a beamed ceiling, which in the 1700s was decorated with cloud formations. The Protestantic triptych was according to inscription given in 1613 by fru Berte Kaas, improved and decorated in 1702 by High Court Judge Hans Lange of Asmild; in the middle field a painting from the 1700s ( an earlier painting is now kept behind the altar). Upon the altar chalice are the initials of Hans Lange and wife Mette Mariche Broberg and the year 1693. Upon one of the late medieval altar candelabres is carved S. Nicolaus. In the choir is from wall to wall an altar railing from the 1700s, here is also a thurible from the 1200s.Most of the wooden inventory in the church is from 1788, carved in rural Rococo, like the pulpit, the font (with a sounding board) and the pews with doors and gables. The choir arch is extended with monk bricks, and above it hangs a late medieval crucifix. In the choir is a large and pretty gravestone for Frantz Iversen Dyre (+ 1569) and wife. In the closed cellar under the choir rests Corfitz Ulfeldt, killed in the battle at Kolbergheide 1644.


Skovsgård might be the farm by the same name, which in 1402 was owned by Johannes Eskildsen (Krumpen). Later it was probably owned by the væbner Stig Nielsen, who in 1479 wrote himself of Tapdrup, then by Frantz Iversen Dyre, who likewise wrote himself of S. and T. He died in 1569 at Dyreholm, which probably refers to the same farm. When his widow Kirsten Mogensdatter Kaas (Mur-Kaas) died childless after 1573, came S. to her brother's son Herman Kaas (+ ab. 1613), who in 1580 is written of "Thoberup", but in 1591 and several times later of S. His sons too are written of S.: Niels (1613), Christen (1613), Frantz (1613 and 1621) Eggert (1618) and Stalder Kaas 1621. In 1625 the farm belonged to Hans Lindenov's widow Else Juel (+ ab. 1627) and then to her brother's children, Hans and Anders lindenov in 1638, who were inherited by their mother, Else Thott, married 2. to Corfitz Ulfeldt (+ 1644). She left the farm to her sister, Margrethe Andersdatter Thott, from whom it at once in 1652 was sold to hr. Anders Bille as a pay of Else Thott's debt. He exchanged it in 1653 with some state to the Crown, from which it in 1672 was laid out to Villum Lange of Asmildkloster. In 1807 Henrik Muhle Hoff of Asmildkloster deeded it and 8 houses to C. F. Erhardi,  but in 1810 it was at an auction together with Tapdrup parish's church and half king's taxes sold to Chr.Kjelleup (+ 1819).

Later owners: Johannes Iver Bruun 1830; Th. Davidsen, E. Lund, 1841; J H Lytthans 1846; Joh. F. Petersen 1849; Thalbitzer 1857; H. Ch. Thalbitzer 1870; Nohr 1887; I. Jørgensen 1904; Harald de Neergaard 1917; P.D. Thomsen 1911.

Listed prehistorics: 9 hills, of which several are large: the two Rishøje west of and Store Mandshøj north of Tapdrup, Kokærhøj and a hill north east of the village, the two Kvathøje and Storhøj in Østerskov.   

In a moor in the Nørreådalen (river valley) were found 14 gold bracteats and 27 glass pearls.

Names from the Middle Ages: Tapdrup (1479 Tapptrvp); Thisted (1497 Thistedtt); Skovsgaard (1664 Schouffs Gaard); Spanggård (1664 Spang Gaard); Subæk Mølle (1664 Sulbech Mølle, 1683 Sulbechmølle, Surbech mølle).

 

Viborg cathedral

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: Tapdrup church, borrowed from Google earth, gb
photo: Viborg cathedral: grethe bachmann

Ørum church/Ørum kirke, Sønderlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Ørum church, ab. 11 km east of Viborg.

Ørum parish, Sønderlyng herred, Viborg amt. 

The lead roofed church in Ørum (Sønderlyng herred) has a choir and nave from the Romanesque period and a later added tower to the west, a porch to the south and a sacristy in the extension of the choir, all additions are tiled. The Romanesque walls are built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, the walls are best kept on the north side of the choir and the nave and on the south side of the choir, likewise three Romanesque windows on the northside, one in the choir and two in the nave. The two portals are also kept, especially the bricked-up, unusually magnificent north portal with richly profiled kragbånd and with columns with carved birds on the capitals. The south door is straight edged. The Gothic shaped sacristy, which is built upon the place where the apse was built on Romanesque churches, has a square finish to the east. The late Gothic tower has glares upon the east gable. The white washed porch is probably from the Renaissance period. Inside the church is the Romanesque choir arch with kragsten kept, the tower room is cross vaulted and opens towards the nave in a round arch; nave and choir have beamed ceilings. The wallwork of the church was restored in 1885 and 1889.

Upon the large communion table stands a Renaissance altarpiece from ab. 1600-1620 with sidewings, top-piece and a triptychon main field with a biblical painting from the 1700s. The decoration (rest. in 1926) was given by Anders Kjærulf of Sødal (his and his wife's initials and year is seen on the altarpiece.) On the communion table also two altar candelabres, recast in 1753 and paid by Didrik Iversen of Sødal. A Romanesque granite font. A pulpit in Renaissance with carved year 1607, given acc. to inscription by parish priest Christen Jensen (Skive) and Jacob Jørgensen with ionic columns with decoration-bands and a contemporary sounding board. The pews are partly old, a carved year 1634 upon the backside of a stool-gable at the south door. Between nave and porch an old iron bound door wing with a robust locking mechanism.

Vestergård in Vels was in 1514-15 sold by Erik Hvas (of Ormstrup) and his sister Anne to bishop Erik Kaas.  

According to legend was once a castle upon an isolated natural bank a little east of Velds Mølle (mill). There are no traces. Just opposite lies Bårstenhøj (Viskum parish) south of the river valley.

Listed prehistorics: a passage grave at Hulbæk, where were found several pretty axes and chisels and amber pearls; a large hellekiste (stone cist) and 16 hills, of which Storehøj at Hulbæk and the two Månehøje at Velds are very large. 
Demolished or destroyed: a small passage grave, where were found two flint daggers -  and 49 hills. In a hill at Mollerup was a brandgrav( fire grave) from Celtic Iron Age with two silver cups, and in a hill at Velds a grave find from the Viking period with axe and riding gear.

Names from the Middle Ages: Ørum (1413 Ørum); Mollerup (1463 Mollerup); Velds (1461 Weltz, 1524 Welst, Velst, 1574 Vels); Hulbæk (1463 Holbek). 

GB


Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo: borrowed from Google Earth, gb

Oddense church/ Oddense kirke, Hindborg herred, Viborg amt.

Oddense church, ab. 10 km northwest of Skive.

Oddense parish, Hindborg herred, Viborg amt.

Contrary to traditions of the local district the church in Oddense is rather large. It lies upon a flat hill in the parish town with a Romanesque choir and nave and a late Gothic western tower and a porch to the north. Choir and nave are built in granite ashlars upon a profiled plinth. From original details is the choir arch kept with profiled kragbånd, the bricked-up east window of the choir and two bricked-up windows to the north, - and the broad south portal of the nave with a flat monolite lintel, which is carried by two free columns with rough capitals. An ashlar with a lion figure in deep relief is inserted in the northern part of the triumph arch. From the northern portal, or maybe from a priest door upon the northside of the choir - which lintel still is on its place in the strongly re-built wall work - origin two high ashlars with elegant column decorations, which bear reminders about the wooden architecture, now bricked-in at the south side of the tower. At the north side of the choir were during a restoration in 1956 discovered foundations from a medieval sacristy. In the late Middle Ages were in the nave built three bays star vaults upon projecting pillars. The tower has smooth gables north-south ; it is built in monk bricks above re-used ashlars from the western gable of the nave. There is access to the other storeys via a free staircase to the north. The tower room, which is connected to the nave by a low, point arched arcade, has an original cross vault, re-walled in 1871. The large porch in monk bricks has a gable with broad point arched glares. In Pont. Atlas 1768 is mentioned two porchs.  The whole church is lead roofed. The porch and the upper section of the tower are white-washed.

Upon the star vault of the nave is a rich decoration of interesting frescoes from the reformation period with inscriptions in Danish and Latin, painted by the same master as the frescoes in Torum church (Salling Nørre herred). There are biblical scenes and folklore legends with devils etc. In the western bay are naive Evangelist pictures,which were painted in 1878, when the old paintings became the subject to a restoration by a local painter, which could be characterized as a ruthless overpainting. Paintings by this restorator are also found below in the eastern vault. 

 

A pretty communion table panel from ab. 1650 with original paintings in the arcade fields. Altarpiece from 1602, painting from ab. 1800 in the big field. Ore candelabres  from 1550-1600. A large Romanesque granite font with roundstick around the smooth basin. Pulpit in rural Renaissance with Evangelist-pictures from ab. 1700 in the big fields. Pretty benches from the late 1800s with new colours. Iron bound fattigblok ( box for money-collection for the poor). Series pastorum in the tower room. Bell 1802, cast by Reimer in Randers, hangs in an old bell frame. In the brick-up in the south door is a large cross-decorated gravestone in Romanesque type. Upon the church yard a large worn out gravestone from the 1700s for a member of the family Sadolin. Neo Gothic portal with driving-gate at the western dike.

Saustrup was in 1455 by Peder Nielsen pawned to bishop Knud in Viborg. In 1519 it was inhabited by a peasant. I 1661 it was divided in two farms, which by the Crown were laid out to hr. Ove Giedde's heirs. His great-grandchild Dorte Giedde (+ 1743) was married to captain Niels Høeg (Banner) (+ 1725), who lived here in 1716, while she as widow lived her in 1728. In 1780 it was divided in Over Saustrup and Neder Saustrup, which by Johs. Hansen were sold to Axel Rosenkrantz Lasson of Astrup, who sold them before 1791. 

Bligård was in 1514 by Henrik Steen sold to bishop Erik Kaas.

Torsmark (earlier Torshøj) belonged from ab. 1850 the family Ladefoged; in 1954 it was taken over by A. Wibholm.

Hindborg herred's tingsted (judicial place for the thing) was possibly before 1688 south of Oddense church (close to the church lies Tinghøj).

Listed prehistorics: one longhill and 19 hills, of which several are rather large: one north of Næstild, two south of Kåstrup, one east of Oddense, two west of Vestergårde, the large Ravnshøj upon  Torsmark, Elsehøj north of Saustrup and Tinghøj south of Oddense.

Demolished or destroyed: 106 hills and longhills; they were placed close in Frammerslev and around Oddense and Saustrup.


Names in the Middle Ages: Oddense (1410 Otenssogen, 1479 Otthensæ); Frammerslev (1464 Frammeszløff, 1524 Frammersløff); Næstild (1410 Nestill, ab. 1525 Nestildt); Kåstrup (1524 Kastrop); Lille Ramsing (1589 Lille Ramsing); Vestergårde (1524 Vestergarde, -gardt); Saustrup (1519 Saustrup); Saustrupgård (1455 Saustrups gard); Bligård (1514 Bligard).

GB

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt 1962. 

photo: borrowed from Google, gb

 
    

Linå church, Linå kirke, Gjern herred, Skanderborg amt.

(Photo of the Linå church itself later)

The large church in Linå has an apse, a choir and a nave from the Romanesque period, a western extension from after the reformation with a later added tower and a chapel to the north from 1689. A disappeared porch is mentioned in 1616 and 1664. The original sections are built in granite ashlars and a little hardpan upon a bevel plinth, the apse is decorated with a cornice. Upon the loft stands the east gable of the choir,  built in wellcarved granite ashlars and the western gable in field stones and raw boulder. From the original windows only the east window of the apse is seen as a glare; a piece of a monolith lintel is inserted in the north wall of the nave. Two rich six-pillars portals with relief-decorated tympana are kept. The south portal on the west side of the tower - through which the entrance is to the church - is decorated with a tympanum with Christ. The north portal, which tympanum has a intertwined cross - gives access to the church from the nave to the north chapel.  A third tympanum - with an unfinished or clumsy image of Christ - is now placed inside above the north door, this origins from the broken down Bjarup church together with another tympanum with the crucified Christ, which is inserted in the churchyard wall. The western extension is built in small ashlars, which probably also origins from Bjarup church. The extension might be dated to ab. 1590, when the building was dilapidated, but it was rebuilt, partly by assistance from the king, in stones and limestone from Silkeborg slot (castle). The burial chapel in granite ashlars and with a curved lead roof was built in 1689 according to a sandstone tablet with the coat of arms of Daniel Fischer and Else Linde. The same date, coat of arms and initials are seen upon the finely carved door wing of the chapel to the nave and upon a painted wooden plate, placed above the entrance at the same spot. The tower was mentioned as dilapidated in 1679 and it was probably broken down soon after. In its present look it was probably rebuilt in ab. 1800 in red monk bricks , at the bottom with ashlars from the west gable of the nave. An earlier access was via a flatcurved door to the south. The stairway to the upper storey of the tower is via a stair in the wall. The inside of the church has a flat ceiling the apse a newer half cupola vault. 

A medieval bricked communion table with a niche. The altarpiece in Renaissance with a painted date 1616 and relief-carved coat of arms of the vasal Christen Holck and wives, Karen Krafse and Marie Below. In the large field was at a restoration brought to light the original inscription, which had been covered by a  crucifixion-painting, (now kept at the loft) upon wood with inscription and year 1693, above which was a painting upon canvas, painted by A. Lyders, Århus 1863, now hangs upon the wall of the nave. A slender (colours cleansed off) figure of John the Baptist from a Catholic altarpiece (ab. 1500) stands at the north wall of the nave. Altar chalice given by colonel Adam Erenreich von Preen. Brass-candelabres, probably copies in Gothic style. A Romanesque granite font with lion figures and male head. A newer brass baptismal dish. Pewter baptismal dish and øreskål (ear bowl), according to engraved initials, coat of arms and date given in 1694 by colonel Adam Erenreich von Preen and wife Anna Sophie von Lesbrant, made by the Århus- kandestøber (pewterer)  Hans Nielsen Godtlænder, these things are now in Den gamle By, Århus. A baptismal jug in pewter from the late 1800s. An octagonal pyramidal font-lid in wood is kept at the loft of the choir. A simple pulpit and sounding board from ab. 1630 with the coat of arms of Christen Holck and his second wife Marie Below. Entrance and decoration from 1936. Newer pews, a Baroque priest stool in the northwest corner of the choir. A memorial for the killed soldiers in the war 1848-50.  Church ship, bought in Hamburg, 1939. Bell from 1908, from the Smithske støberier, with inscription from the recast bell from 1738 by H. Tessien.

In the north chapel burials for the members of the family Fischer. An epitaph for von Preen and three wives has disappeared.  A Romanesque gravestone with a portrait-relief of a man and with inscription: Asserus, was in 1862 moved from Linå Kro's (the Inn) stairs to the south wall of the tower. Some gravestones with  portrait-reliefs for a parish priest  (Rasmus Nielsøn)  and wife. A memorial for a dean (Bagger) and wife etc.


On top a hillside a little northeast of Mollerup was the disappeared Bjarup kirke, which small congregation still in 1524 paid landehjælp (taxes) and which in 1528-29 was one of the churches, which had to deliver a church bell to king Frederik I for recast. The site of the church, covered with low earth-rises, is still visible. The building consisted of apse, choir and nave in granite ashlars. It was 25 m long, the nave 14 m broad. At the west-end is seen a low circular rise, probably the trace from a tower. The church was probably broken down in the 1500s, but still in 1808 the priest-report mentions that the churchyard-dike was visible, and the walls of the church were preserved in a height of  50-75 cm above ground; there were no graves to see, but round heather knolls, where the graves were; likewise was found a stone with two carved feet, probably from a picture ashlar. The parish once belonged under Linå pastorat, it consisted of the villages Bjarup, Volstrup (now in Dallerup parish) and Bottrup (which has disappeared). Upon the site Thor Lange, whose uncle owned Kalbygård in Låsby parish, has raised an iron cross in 1915.

Dynæs was by Valdemar Atterdag conveyed in 1360 to hr. Palne Jonsen (Munk), whose son-in-law hr. Ove Hase in 1401 pawned D. and Laven to hr. Elev Elevsen (Bild). The pawn came with his daughter to hr. Laurids Hvas, married second time to Thore Eriksdatter (Mus), who as a widow married Ove Ovesen (Mur-Kaas). Ove Hase's son Palne Hase tried in 1423 in vain to release the estate, whereafter his sister Inge Ovesdatter, m. to Mads Fredbjørnsen, gave bishop Ulrik in Århus authority to release it. Ove Ovesen had to give D.to him in 1435, and in 1444 the bishop had the ownership-rights transferred from Mads Fredbjørnsen. The castle belonged to the Århus bishops until the reformation, when the Crown took over.


The large Dynæs Voldsted (castle bank) has a picturesque situation upon an isthmus, which from higher land (Dynæs Fang) to the north protrudes out into Julsø (lake), and which connection to land originally was a narrower strip of land, where the road still runs. The square castle bank (60 x 68 m) stands with steep banks and is unusually high, 10 meter above surrounding terrain and 12 meter above the lake; the bank has at the foot been surrounded by moats, which still are seen as cuts in north, west and south. To the east was possibly a moat with an outer dam. Outside the southern moat on the cultivated tip of the isthmus is seen a rise in the terrain, probably a rest of the natural bank, from which the castle bank seemingly was cut. Upon the top has been done various small excavations, and there were finds of monk bricks and granite boulders, but a real archaeological examination of the castle has never been done. North of the northern moat is some kind of front work, which again to the north was protected by a moat. This part of the plan is now very levelled.

Upon Gammelkol a little northwest of Dynæs lies a  bank, which might be interpreted as a medieval castle bank. It consists of an almost rectangular site (ab. 15x 80 m), surrounded by a dry moat with a bank outside. In the northern end of the site lies an earth hill with a flat circular topsurface with traces of wallwork with mortar.

The family Fischer from Silkeborg owned in the 1600s large parts of the parish, several resided at Lavengård, and Mathias Fischer, major Andreas Bornich and his wife Anne Margrethe Felthaus died at the farm (1704, 1717 and 1724). -   Owner in 1872 J.C. Boeck.

Oluf Eskildsen pawned in 1334 his estate in Bjarup to herr Lyder Limbæk. 

In the parish are known three sacred springs: Tyrens hul at the meadow near Mollerup village; Helligkilden north of Skellerup village; Bjars kilde at the northeast corner of Bjarup churchyard dike.

A legend says that at Kalbygård (Låsby parish) lived three sisters, Lin, Bjar and Dal, who built churches in Linå, Bjarup and Dallerup. When they sailed across Bjarup sø after a church visit, Bjar lost her gold ring in the lake, and she cried a curse, and the lake flooded over its banks, and the fish were on the dry, but inside the first fish,which was opened at Kalbygård, was the ring. Dal's grave is still seen east of Dallerup kirke, if you touch it, there will be cattle disease.

The poet Johan Skjoldborg lived in a house at Dynæs from 1907-14, and he arranged in the years 1910-14 several large folk-meetings at Dynæs. A memorial was raised in 1926 upon Dynæs for Skjoldborg and the meetings.

In Laven is raised a bust in 1950 of the poet Nis Petersen who lived in Laven from 1938 until his death in 1943.

In the parish were at least three villages which have disappeared: Assendrup (1460 Aszenddrop lyche), Torup (1231 Thoretorp) at Skellerup and Remstrup (1261 Rembestrop). At Kærsmølle was the farm Kærsmark (1427 Kyærsmark) , in Linå the house Bøgested (1634 Bøgested.) .

Listed prehistorics: 38 hills, of which several are rather large: Ørnekol north of Mollerup, one hill just north of Laven, one in Linå Vesterskov, one, which belongs to a group of 14 hills in Hesselskov; one, very pretty kept just east of Linå kirke, 2 south of and one north of Skellerup Nygårde and one close to Resenbro. Besides have been found a stone with 55 hollows in the forest at Kærsmølle.
Demolished or destroyed: 100 hills, which mainly were in the eastern part of the parish, where at Hårup, Skellerup and Mollerup Station were some close groups.

In a work in a pit bog in Skellerup were in 1843 found 15 German speciedalere, the latest from Mansfeld 1648.

Names from the Middle Ages: Linå (1376 Lønng sogenn, 1401 Lennow, 1573 Lenno); Mollerup (1423 Maalerup, 1482 Moldrvp); Laven (1401 Laffuend, 1577 Laven); Hårup (1334 Hatterup, 1376 Hatrop, 1577 Horup);  Skellerup (1424 Skældorp); Bjarup (1350 Byrkæthorp, 1586 Bierup); Halved (1433 Halduid); Dynæs (1360 Dyrnes) Kærsmølle (1610 Kiersmølle).


Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt. 1964.

photo Linå kirke 2007: grethe bachmann

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   

Linde church / Linde kirke, Nørhald herred, Randers amt

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

The church in Linde has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from 1837 to the south. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars. From original details the south door is  preserved, but moved to a new entrance from west, and in the east wall of the choir is a bricked-up round arched window with a monolite lintel. Below the pulpit stand fragments of granite pillars, probably from the north portal -and in the tower are inserted various fragments. The nave has a flat ceiling, while the choir in the late Gothic period ab. 1500 had a cross vault. The choir arch is extended, probably in 1591-92, according to a frescoe inscription. Its kragsten are placed as plinths. The bottom room of the tower had once a pointed arch opening to the west, it is now used as a porch. The porch from 1837 has a portal in rural late Empire. The building was repaired in 1955-56.

In the vault of the choir are frescoe ornaments and birds from ab. 1500, among others a pelican, and upon the triumph wall are fragments of a Doomsday image with apocalyptic horsemen. Altar piece in Renaissance from the beginning of the 1600s, with original painting. Chalice from 1632 given by Jens Pedersøn Lycke, renovated with new cup 1746. Baluster-shaped Renaissance candelabres. Roughly carved Romanesque granite font with lions and deer. Smooth brass bowl from the 1600s. Pulpit in Renaissance with decoration from 1700s, Evangelist portraits. A Romanesque gravestone with procession cross is inserted in the wall of the porch.


Lindegård belonged 1344 and 1347 to Niels Eriksen (Saltensee), 1355 Erik Nielsen (Saltensee), who pawned it to Jens Svendsen, whose son Svend Skobe transferred it in 1401 to queen Margrete, who in 1407 gave L. and Tjæreby to Århus domkirke (cathedral) After the reformation it belonged to hr. Jørgen Lykke of Overgård, who in 1549 exchanged it to the king, who 1558 exchanged it to Mariagerkloster, from where it in 1614 with a desolate mille-site was exchanged to Mogens Kaas (Sparre-K.) under whose farm Støvringgård it was in 1662. In 1765 sold to Lars Christensen.

A sacred well. Skt. Lawes kjeld, is found downside the hills west of Linde Møllebæk (Mill-brook).

Listed prehistorics: 3 large hills, of which two belong to the group Trehøje at a hill north of Mejlby, a little to the west is Halmhøj which is a little out-digged.
Demolished: one hill. - At Torsmark was found a clay pot grave from early Roman iron age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.

photo November 2011: grethe bachmann &; stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

Østergård, Salling, North Jutland, Viborg amt.

Østergård, ab. 19 km north of Skive
Åsted sogn, Harre herred, Viborg amt.

Queen Margrethe I spent the first half of the year 1408 in Jutland, where she with a large entourage of trusted men went from place to place. Whereever she came, new crowds of clericals and secular gentlemen joined her entourage for a shorter or longer period, partly to bask themselves in her favour , partly to settle important business, which was not always of the most pleasant sort. In the month of January the queen stayed in the old royal town Viborg. From here she crossed Thy, where she guested Ørum castle and the now long gone Hillerslevhus - and after having visited Børglum Kloster she arrived in Hjørring in the month of March, from where she continued her travel south to Ålborg, Randers and Århus. At Midsummer-time queen Margrethe was back at Zealand, probably very satisfied with the achieved results. She had won back much royal estate, which was lost during the turbulent times, and she had secured the friendship of the clergy by giving them costy gifts.

Among those who had to show up at the meeting with the queen in Viborg was "Niels Mikkelsen of Nissum, a knight called Krabbe" - he probably did not meet up voluntarily, since he had much on his conscience. His men had broken the church-peace at Kobberup church, and he had himself together with his maternal uncle Niels Kaas and several others repeatedly broken the thing-peace on Fjends herreds Thing. (district-thing.) He therefore had to make amend, but the "the gracious Lady" let him go, if he gave her some estate in Fiskbæk and elsewhere, which unlawfully had been taken from the Crown. If hr. Niels could have lived for another 100 years, he would have enjoyed to see that one of his descendants, rigsmarsk hr. Tyge Krabbe won back this estate by not so fine means - his greatgrandfather would probably have liked that.

Hr. Niels Krabbe returned to Nissum very bad tempered, it was not the first time the queen had been pursuing him. His fortificated castle could not secure him against her and his mighty family neither. The castle was placed north in Salling. The theory is that the small square castle bank, rising steeply from the slope east of Hinnerup Å (river) at Åsted village, which later was called Holmshøj or Sallingholm castle, was his home. It is not easy to see, why he is called "from Nissum", since this village is placed upon the other side of the river and earlier was divided from Holmshøj by both a river and a meadow. From the castle bank a road dam leads northwest out into the meadows where still are seen weak rises ; here were found heavy, driven in poles - the rests of a pile castle, which might have been the successor of the castle bank inland.

The family Krabbe is old in Salling, where it besides Nissum or Østergård owned several manors, like Lundegård at the island Fur, Hostrup, Bustrup, to which the rigsmarsk (Tyge Krabbe) wrote himself, and several others, aldso Krabbesholm. Much indicates that the old members of the family was an unruly and violent flock, who reminded about the family Brock at Gammel Estrup. This nature is also recognizable in the family's most distinguished member Tyge Krabbe, but else made the family their mark by indisputable competence and later also by having spiritual interests. The family was connected to Nissum for a long period. Niels Mikkelsen Krabbe was hardly the first member of the family who lived there - the earlier generations are fairly known - but he wasn't the last. Both his son Morten Krabbe, who was a High Court Judge and owned a rich estate, (+ ab.1483), and his son Glob Krabbe, also named Lucas Krabbe, lived in Nissum, but the old castle was abandoned. Glob Krabbe established the farm (manor) Østergård south of Åsted upon the other side of the river and built the heavy Gothic building, which still stands today. It is one of few manor buildings from the time before the reformation, which has kept its look almost unchanged up till the present.


The manor was built upon a flat, square bank, surrounded by banks and moats, which were kept water-filled by dams. The building is four-winged and includes a small yard, only 8,75 m each square. It is built in late Gothic style in bricks upon a high plinth of raw granite boulder and with a cellar under the whole two-storeyed building. It is said that an inscription was upon a beam in the yard saying that Lucas Krabbe put down the first stone for this foundation in 1516. On the gables of the south wing were earlier a couple of hanging bays , possibly "hemmeligheder" (secrets = toilets). Behind the 2-3 feet thick walls the unruly Krabbes could feel secure towards wronged class companions and peasants. When the peasants in Grevefejden (civil war) ravaged in Salling and let "the red cock"crow (fire) on the castles of their oppressors, they probably also wished to chase the squire of Østergård away from his home, but if they tried to, they probably failed. Later was no need to have a fortificated castle like this, but banks and moats were kept until the 19th century. Now is only a small rest left.

Glob Krabbe died a few years after the reformation (1543)and was buried in Åsted church, where his wife was also buried, and where a head stone reminds them. He had feuds with his peasants till the end. Their son Iver Krabbe (+ 1561), who in his youth had the family's hot blood in his veins, became a rich man, rigsråd and the holder of several important vasalries. He and later his widow bought much estate in exchange with the Crown. This estate was situated near the farm, and he also achieved free birkeret (judicial rights) of all estate in the parish a year before his death. This right followed Østergård until 1688. He probably built the last two wings of the manor.

After his death his widow fru Magdalene Banner kept the farm, she followed her husband to the grave in 1597 and was buried by his side in Åsted kirke. She had given vaults and a new pulpit to the church. It seems that she before her death gave Østergård to her daughter Anne Krabbe, who from 1580 was widow after rigsråd Axel Viffert and later was married to Erik Kaas of Vorgård in Himmerland (+ 1598). She died childless in 1625, but the heirs did not accept the inheritance. Østergård was not taken over by strangers though, it came to her sister's daughter Otte Lindenov of Borreby's widow Anne Tygesdatter Brahe, (+ 1636), and when her son Otte Ottesen Lindenov's widow fru Vibeke Clausdatter Podebusk (+ 1645) - who had a livsbrev (ownerrights for life) on the farm - in 1639 married hr. Knud Ulfeldt of Svenstrup, who was killed in the war 1657, the farm came to him and then to his stepson, kammerherre Christian Lindenov,who was amtmand (district) in Norway and the last of the Krabbe-descendants who owned the old family-farm.


Åsted church

Østergård was in a bad state after the war; 9 farms in Nissum village were destroyed. Christian Lindenov pawned Østergård to the wellknown priest at Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen, magister Erik Olufsen Torm, whose widow Søster Worm, a daughter of the famous professor Ole Worm, in 1673 took over farm and estate, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court two years later. The saga of the old nobility was over, and middle-class families moved into Glob Krabbe's old castle. During the latest century it had often been uninhabited and neglected, sometimes owned by people, who lived far away, and sometimes by poor people, who could not pay their bills. Søster Worm managed the farm by a tenant, and after her death in 1685 it came to her son-in-law Jens Henriksen, but times were unfortunate, and he ended up in big debts. He had to pay his peasants with corn and give them horses. This was expensive and he never got anything back.

In 1694 Jens Henriksen had to give up. He sold Østergård to tenant Anders Hansen Høyer at Astrup. He was an indebted man, who had 19 children with three wives, whom he hardly could give food and clothes. He stayed however at the farm until his death in 1727, and the estate went to one of his creditors, the rich mayor Christen Jensen Basballe in Århus, who let it manage by a tenant for about 20 years. It was said that when he grew old, he was so stingy that corn and bullocks piled up at the farm, because he wanted over current price for both this and that. After his death Østergård had several owners. In 1758 it was sold to Niels Andersen Qvistgård.

Qvistgård died only 5 years later, and his widow Johanne Marie Batum brought the farm to her second husband Christian Kjærulff, who in vain tried to sell it. When both he and his wife had died in 1777 in Nykøbing (Mors), where they lived for several years, Østergård was bought by his stepsons Jens og Anders Nielsen Qvistgård. The last mentioned was sole owner in 1786, since Jens had bought a farm in Himmerland. Anders Qvistgård was dependent on alcohol and once caused a scandal when drunk in Åsted kirke, but else he was seemingly a solid Jutland farmer, who took care of his estate and tried to introduce improvements. In order to have disposal over the water - which run in abundance through his meadows and moors - he outbought at a costy expense the copyholder of Nissum Water Mill and let it replace by a wind mill. This showed to be a profit, but else were his improvements hardly radical enough.


Farm buildings close to Østergård, disfiguring the old medieval castle
The ferry to the island Fur north of Åsted and Østergård.

The farm was managed by villeinage until 1805, when all the estate was sold. The main part was already in Iver Krabbe's time in Åsted parish, another part in the neighbouring parishes. While the estate was still complete, the added tiender (taxes) changed all the time. Knud Ulfeldt had a couple of churches added to the farm in 1640, but they were lost in 1673. In 1699 Anders Høyer got a deed on Åsted kirke from the king, but this did not follow the farm permanently. Anders Qvistgård owned the kirketiender (church taxes) of Åsted and Nautrup parish and held the royal taxes of the same parishes, but in 1806 only the two churches were part of the farm. Anders Qvistgård died already in 1792; the following year farm and estate came on auction and sold to Thomas Thomsen of Vindum Overgård. He had moved to Jutland from Funen some years ago, and he gradually became the owner of several big farms in Jutland.

In the beginning of the following century it was told that Østergård, Eskjær and Astrup were the only manors in Salling with a dairy. Thomsen had been a co-owner of Eskjær, the other part belonged to his relative. In 1804 Thomsen sold the whole estate, for which he had paid 42.ooo rigsdaler, to three speculators, who paid 100.000 rigsdaler. After a royal licence they sold the copyhold-estate and let in 1806 the main farm and the taxes go back for 56.500 rigsdaler to the previous owner, who kept it until his death in 1823, after which the wellknown studefeder (he was making bullocks fat!) Nis Nissen of Spøttrup became the owner. After him followed kammerråd Hans Tørsleff (1836-46). During the next 100 years the farm had several owners: kammerherre Ernst Emil Rosenørn (1855-71), Johan Chr. Brinck-Seidelin (1871-85), Erik Oscar Julius Hedemann of Nyholm (1885-90), Vallø Stift, who sold it in 1906 to lieutenant Axel Lemming Froberg, who owned Østergård for more than 36 years , until he sold it in 1943 to greve Adam Cyrille Knuth, Hesselbjerg. In 1945 Østergård was bought by a consortium, where J.M.Skov became the sole owner. Owners in 1966 Kristen and Kjeld Skov.

Source: Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 12, 1966, Nordvestjylland, Østergård, by arkivar, cand.mag. S. Nygård.

Østergård i dag:
In the summer 1998 was the Danish State ready to take over the very decayed buildings. Restorations started in June 2000 with an expected finish in the castle's 500 years jubilee in 2016!


photo Østergård og Åsted 2004: grethe bachmann