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

Astrup church, ab. 6 km east of Hjørring.

                                                                                                      

Astrup parish, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring amt.

The church in Astrup has a late Romanesque choir and nave with a new porch to the south. The late Romanesque building is from ab. 1200-50 in granite ashlars and monk bricks upon a bevelled granite plinth. From original details are traceable the round arched north door and a bricked-up round arched window in the east wall of the choir. A Romanesque monolit window- lintel is inserted above a peephole of the burial cellar under the choir. The choir arch and the south door are both extended, probably in the Gothic period. A (now disappeared) tower is mentioned in 1639. The porch to the south is in small bricks, probably from the second half of the 1800s. Inside in the western gable is inserted a plaster copy  af a runestone found in the church in 1910 with the runic alphabet. The lead roofed building was latest restored in 1952.



From a disappeared Gothic altarpiece are three figures now in the National Museum. The present altarpiece in rural Rococo from ab. 1775 has outsawed wings and a crucifixion painting. Altarpainting from the late 1800s, a copy after C. Bloch: Resurrection, hangs in the church. A magnificent Renaissance chalice 1582, given by Mette (Viffert) wife of Morten Krabbe of Bøgsted. Baroque candelabres. A Romanesque granite font with a small halfcircular basin with ribs upon a pyramid-cone foot.  A South German dish ab. 1575 and with almost worn out coat of arms of : Juel. A fine late Gothic choir arch crucifix, ab. 1475. A pretty carved pulpit from 1616 by Niels Ibsen with coat of arms for Ulrik Sandberg and his two wives. A canopy from the church is now at Bøgsted manor, it was probably acquired in 1656. A disappeared painting, given 1670 by Søren Christensen,  and a gallery from 1650, set up by jomfru Margrethe Sandberg:  both things mentioned in 1735.  Bell from 1560, cast by Peder Lauridsen, given by Morten Krabbe. In the choir a worn out gravestone, a figure stone for Morten Krabbe of Bøgsted, killed in war in Sweden 1566 and Mette Madsdatter (Viffert) (+ 1597). In a now closed burial cellar under the choir stood earlier 14 coffins with among others: Henrik Sandberg of Bøgsted (+ 1651), Mette Viffert of Hørbylund, (+ 1597) and Peder Jensen of Bøgsted (+ 1713), they are now all buried in the church yard. In the church are coffin plates for Mette Viffert (+ 1597) and Oluf Seefeld of Mølgård (+ 1697).



Bøgsted was in 1419 a village, where one farm was double as big as each other one, it was probably this farm, which ab. 1500 became the main farm, which swallowed the village; it was owned in the last half of the 1300s by the godsrige ( rich of estate) hr. Niels Ovesen (Panter) of Asdal, Skovgård (Vennebjerg herred) etc. ( + earliest 1355) and his wife, fru Johanne Andersdatter (Stenbrikke). In the exchange after them in 1419 the farms in B. went to their son-in-law, rigshofmester hr. Anders Jacobsen Lunge of Gunderslevlille etc. ( + latest 1429); his two marriages were childless, and B. came probably to his brother, rigsråd hr. Ove Jepsen Lunge of Nielstrup (Musse herred) (+ latest 1458), and then to his son hr. Tyge Ovesen Lunge of Basnæs (+ 1460), whose daughter Elsebe (Lisbeth) Tygesdatter Lunge (+ earliest 1512) was married to hr. Mogens Krabbe (of Østergård) of Bustrup (+ 1505). Their daughter Margrethe Mogensdatter Krabbe of Østergård is mentioned in 1521 and 1547 of B., which at this time must have been a nobility-farm (manor); her marriage to Henrik Jørgensen Friis (of Haraldskær) of Odden etc. (+ earliest 1500) was childless, and therefore the farm went to her brother rigsmarsk hr. Tyge Krabbe's son Morten Tygesen Krabbe of Bjørnholm (killed in 1566 in Sweden), his widow Mette Viffert of Hørbylund died in 1597, and B.went now to his sister's son hr. Ulrik Sandberg (+ 1636) and since to his son oberstløjtnant Henrik Sandberg (+ 1651) and his son Ulrik Sandberg (+ 1668), whose widow fru Sophie Maltesdater Sehested (+ 1706) in 1688 had to renounce farm and estate to forpagter (manager) at Voergård, Peder Jensen Holst, if he took over the debt.

After his death in 1713 his widow Anne Jørgensdatter Hald owned B. (+ 1728); she sold it in 1724 to her daughter's son Hans Bugge of Haven; he died 1759, his widow Elisabeth Dyssel died in 1769. Their estate was sold in 1770 acc. her will of 1765: B. and Haven to oberst  Niels Bentzen Jespersen of Høgholt (+ 1774); in auction after him the farm and peasant estate to ritmester Enevold Bolwig (+ 1817) who in 1804 renounced B. to kancelliråd Michael Brandt (+ 1812) in Hjørring and kammerråd Arent Hassel Rasmussen (+ 1842).
Later owners:  Andreas Andkjær; Johanne Louise Henriette Jakobsen, née Fischbach; Daniel Poppe of Lerbæk; Severin Hastrup; Sophie Elisabeth Zahrtmann, née Donner; Chr. Gottlieb Fritz Koch; G. Raben; Hans Emil Bluhme of Nørlund; P. Breth Petersen (A/S); P. Holm; Johs. Kjærgaard; Trygve Sagen in Oslo; Karl Jørgensen; E. Kirkegaard; Jysk Land-Hypotekforening; Johs. Fr.. Pommerencke.
Owner in 1959: A/S Oscar Siesbye, Khbvn.

News at Bøgsted January 2009:
Bøgsted is now listed. The owners have restored it completely with respect to its architecture.Bøgsted has no public access. ( Bøgsted is a pretty white Renaissance building, but it is private property, and I can not show you a photo. But you can see it by searching Bøgsted Hovedgaard in Google images/billeder. ) 



Listed prehistorics: 5 hills, of which Teglhøj at Sparrrevogn is the largest, and an Iron Age stone grave at Bøgsted.

Demolished or destroyed: The passage grave Puthøj at Sparrevogn and 32 hills, mainly in the eastern hilly part of the parish.

At Astrup was found metal from late Bronze Age. Graves with stones from early Roman Iron Age were found at Sønderskov, Torne, Grimmeshave, Klastrup, Sønderhede and Bøgsted. A settlement with a house site from the same period at Sønderskov. 

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Astrup (1474 Astrvp); Sønderskov (1610 Synnderskoff); Klastrup (1419 Klaxstorp); Skærping (1480 Skerpingh); Borresholt (1610 Borids Holtt); Sparrevogn (1612 Sparre Wognn); Hundbjerg (1638 Hundberg); Grimmeshave (1484 Gremærsholth, 1547 Gremershafve); Hvims (1612 Wembs, 1662 Huimbs); Hving (1638 Huingh); Øster Tirup (1638 Øster Tirup); Mølskov (1662 Møllschow); Ryet (1638 Ryett); Kalstrup (1662 Kolstrup); Bøgsted (1418 Bøghested); Solbjerg (1419 Solberge Gaard); Grue (  ? Grud, 1638 Grue); Højen (1662 Wed Høyen); Skovbo (1638 Skouboe).




Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.

photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb

Øster Velling church/ Øster Velling kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Øster Velling church, ab. 10 km west of Randers.

Øster Velling parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt. 

The church without a tower in Øster Velling has a choir and nave and a new porch on the nort side. The older sections: the choir and nave origin from the Romanesque period, built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, but the church was in 1875 rebuilt because of dilapidation, but with use of old material -  and inaugurated 2 january 1876. The porch seems also to have been renewed in 1875, it was rebuilt again in 1940. The three Romanesque windows of the north side are undoubtedly of Romanesque origin, but extended in the lighting. The north door with old kragsten is still in use, but partly renewed.

The inside of the church got its new look in 1875; it has a beamed ceiling, while the choir was remade again in 1940-41, when a new brickfloor was laid. The altar section is from this last restoration with a table of yellow bricks and above this a crucifix group, made by J.Th. Skovgaard. The former altar decoration, a crucifix from 1875, hangs upon the wall. Three Gothic Saint-figures in wood, found at the loft of the porch, was sent to the National Museum in 1940. A Romanesque granite font with male heads and foliage. The strange square-sided pulpit with winding columns and double fields with sawn balusters is in Renaissance from ab. 1600. In front of this an old parish clerk stool with carved year 1588. The bell without inscription in a hole in the gable, is from early Middle Ages. In the west wall of the nave is inserted a gravestone for Søren Pedersen Velling (+ 1624). In the north wall of the choir a stone for parish priest H.M.Berg. (+ 1787) .

At the rebuild of the church was found a piece of a runestone, now in the National Museum, the only left of the inscription is " -- Thorg-- ".


 
















Øster Velling birk: (judicial)  the king had already in Valdemars Jordebog considerable estate in "Wæling". Later it became a special vasalry, which by queen Margrethe I was leased to Stig Andersen (this must be Stig Andersen Hvide). Around 1500 Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz was the vasal, after him his son-in-law Predbjørn Podebusk. 5 September 1569 Ø.Velling birk was deeded to Erik Podebusk, it consisted of 13 farms in Øster Velling, Velling Mølle, Torup and Madegård. If Erik Podebusk died without heirs, his wife must keep the vasalry for life, whereafter it again had to go to the Crown. Since the married couple had no children, the king took over the birk. Ab. 1680 the Thing was held at Helstrup mark (field) by the road to Randers. 

 
Listed prehistorics: 7 hills and two petroglyph-stones which were found in the demolished Mandbjerghøj close to Velling Vandmølle (water mill), one stone has several small circles of which some are rewritten with ovals.
Demolished or destroyed: 20 hills, Mandbjerghøj contained a grave from early Bronze Age with sword and belt with gold plate. 


Names in the Middle Ages: Øster Velling (1231 Wæling, 1355 Østerwælyngh).




Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: borrowed from Google earth 2013, gb.

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.

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

Hjermind church, ab. 12 km east of Viborg.

Hjermind parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.


The white washed church i  Hjermind has a Romanesque choir and nave and a later added western tower. The original walls are mostly in ashlars made of al (= hard plan) above a bevelled plinth, but in the present time a great part was face walled with bricks, the ashlar walls are best kept on the north side, where are also  three Romanesque windows, one in the choir, two in the nave. The original doors are still seen, but both are bricked-up. The late medieval tower in bricks was probably higher once, the north-south gables have 1700s coverage; the bottom tower room which functions as a front hall, has an original door in the western wall, flat curved in its point arched frame (medieval western entrances are rare in that part of Jutland) . Upon the southern side-wall of the nave is read under the wall anchers and the eaves M C F H and the year 1245, but the second digit must be 7 instead of 2.

The inside of the church has a beamed ceiling , and the Romanesque choir arch has been kept. The altarpiece is a large carving with side wings, in two storeys and with a carved last supper- image in the large field after a model at Aalborg Vor Frue kirke (Our Lady' church); in the top field the resurrection, under the columns are symbolic figures possibly taken from the classical  pantheon; above the corniche are the names of the givers: Kristen Serensen in Kielinhøl and his wife. A simple pulpit with a sounding board from the beginning of the 1600s, much re-newed in 1924. A Romanesque granite font. Ttwo gravestones with portrait figures,one for parish priest Niels Jensen (+ 1619) with two wives, another for herredsfoged (district-bailiff) Anders Andersen (+ 1623) and wife. A portrait painting, depicting the wellknown rationalistic parish priest and planter Hans Bjerregaard (+ 1860). The church had a restoration in 1961, and a frescoe was found in the choir arch.



Tavlgård was by Nis Pederen of T. deeded in 1423 to Tyrgi Wolssøn; in 1443 and 1447 it was owned by Oluf Torisen, in 1484 -99 is mentioned Thomas Olsen in T.

The væbner Oluf  Dommer (= Sommer?) of Hjermind is mentioned in 1478.

Tulstrupgård was owned by kammerråd Peter Gottlieb Koch, earlier of Ulstrup (+ 1853), "he was probably one of the best farmers in Denmark".

In the parish was probably a church Starkær (1447 Starker), which priest Jeppe Monssen is mentioned in a thing's witness 1447. The place is localized to Kappelet west of Hjermind kirke. In the parish are also  earlier mentioned the farms: Lundting (1480 Lundting gaard), which belonged to Tvilum kloster, and Østergård (1345 Østergarth), which is not identical with the present Østergård.

Listed prehistorics: 10 hills of which the rather large Loddenhøj east of Hjermind.
Demolished or destroyed:  a stone cist and 38 hills, of which a big part were in a stripe, which from Bjerringbro to the north east went along the western side of Hjermind skov. At Tavlgårde was a group of 10 hills stretching into Lee parish.

In the garden of the vicarage stands a runestone, which was found at Hjermind mark (field) at the backside it has a volatile carved figure of a ship. The inscription is: "Tholv rejste denne sten efter sin broder Rade , en meget velbyrdig dreng". ("Tholv raised this stone after his brother Rade, a very noble boy ".( = young man) . Not far from the place, where the runestone was found, was found another runestone in 1643, which was sent to Copenhagen and placed at Rundetårn, from where it disappeared at the fire of Copenhagen in 1728. The inscription was: "Tove rejste denne sten efter sin søn Toste ...dreng". ( "Tove raised this stone after her son Toste ... boy.")


Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Hjermind (1423 Hiærmæn); Tavlgårde (1423 Thaffwæl, 1447 Taflæ); Solgård (1664 Suolgaard).      



Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962. 


photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb

Vejlby church/ Vejlby kirke (Allingåbro), Randers amt.

Vejlby church, 2009: grethe bachmann

Vejlby parish, Sønderhald herred, Randers amt.


Vejlby church at Allingåbro has in its present look a large nave with apse, a side nave with a sacristy and a porch north of the main nave and a tower at the west end of the side nave. The original section is the present side nave and sacristy, which formed nave and choir in a Romanesque church in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth. The walls were re-built in 1890-1900. The church distinguishes itself by its magnificent granite portals decorated with pictures, which were made by the Djursland master Horder. The south portal is especially magnificent (now at the west gable of the main nave) with relief carved biblical images, also with reliefs upon the lintel. The original choir arch is also kept with profiled kragsten. In the late Middle Ages the church had a cross vault in the choir and two bays star vaults in the nave, and at the same time the west tower was added with pyramid roof and a vaulted bottom room and the porch, mostly built in monk bricks. The old church has frescoes from two periods. In the choir arch late Romanesque pictures from ab. 1250, (restored in 1884), and upon the vaults late Gothic decorations (restored in 1923).  The medieval village church changed character, when it was overshadowed by the large main nave ( architect H. Paludan 1923). The south wall of the old nave was broken through, while the choir arch was bricked up, and the old choir was furnished as a sacristy and connected to a special small extension with the choir of the new nave.The church got a main entrance to the west, and the new nave was covered with four bays star vaults and was decorated with frescoes by E. Risebye.

Vejlby church, Google-map 2013

A late Baroque altarpiece from ab. 1700 with the coat of arms and initials of Chr. Friis of Hevringholm, in the middle field a crucifix; altar chalice from 1671 with the coat of arms of colonel Hans Friis and Helvig Marsvin. Large ore candelabres from b. 1600. A Romanesque granite font with foliage around the basin. A late Baroque pulpit with sounding board from almost the same time as the altarpiece. New pews 1923. At the western gallery an organ. A late medieval bell was re-cast in 1900. In the floor of the old choir lies a gravestone from ab. 1700 for Peter Skiøt and wife, while a stone for a priest's son Jens Andersen Holst (+ 1754) is placed in the old choir arch.

Julielund was until ab. 1810 called Kærgård (1500s Kiergordz eyendomm ). In 1601 it was inhabited by Jens Bang and belonged under Hevringholm. In 1660 it came to Peder Lassen and then among others to Niels Winter, Amdi Rasmussen Borup (+ 1693), his son Hans Andersen (+ 1700), Peder Nielsen Skøt, the brother Niels Jensen Skøt, and in 1734 parish priest Anders Justesen Holst. After this it was owned by his son Just  (Jens?) Holst (+ 1754), who in 1753 sold it to Jacob Adler of Østergård. It was for a period under Løvenholm. N. Juul (+ 1806) willed it in 1803 to his sister Edel Marie, m. to H.J.Benning, she got in 1809 a deed on it from Peter Severin Fønns of Løvenholm and transferred it at her death in 1814 to N. Clausen, who in 1829 sold it to P.B.Holm. In 1830 it was sold to manager J. Pind at Tjele (+ 1836) at an auction. His daughter Elisabeth Bol. Pind (+ 1848) brought it by marriage first to manager J. Jespersen (+ 1844), then in 1845 to Chr. Høilund (+ 1891) whose daughter-in-law Johanne Høilund took it over. From 1911 it belonged to the son K.P. Højlund. In 1951 J.Højlund took it over from his father.   

Allingåbro, hotel, 2003: grethe bachmann

Tøjstrup Østergård was in 1398 sold by Selgen and Mikkel Nielsen to Tord Terkelsen, whose brother-in-law, the væbner Mikkel Assersen is mentioned of T.  1462-83. He sold the farm to the elder Bjørn Andersen of Stenalt. After the younger Bjørn Andersen (+ 1604) it came by exchange to the son-in-law Jørgen Friis (of Haraldskær) of Krastrup, who sold it to Mourids Stygge of Holbækgård, whose widow Anne Lykke in 1613 sold it to Eske Brok of Estrup.

In Tøjstrup burnt in 1784 5 farms and 6 houses under Gl. Estrup.

At Udbygårde on the border between field and meadow was once a sacred spring. 

Listed prehistorics: 3 hills, close together, south of the parish.

Demolished or destroyed: 5 hills.

In Vejlby was a now disappeared rune stone.

Names from the Middle Ages: Vejlby (1424 Wedelby); Allestrup (1361 Allistorp); Tøjstrup (1398 Tystrup, 1450 Tyghestrup). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.

photo 2009: grethe bachmnan
photo 2013: google map.

Lem church / Lem kirke , Støvring herred, Randers amt.

Lem kirke: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

 Lem church has a Romanesque choir and nave in granite ashlars, a late medieval tower to the west and a porch, probably late Gothic, to the south. Both portals are preserved, decorated with pillars, dice capitals and characteristic for the Randers area: a ribbon bow in the thympanum - the north portal is bricked-up - and a Romanesque window is bricked-up in the choir gable. A Romanesque window preserved in the north side of the choir and a Romanesque monolite lintel in the southern dike of the church yard. The tower in the same broadth as the nave was built in the late Middle Ages in re-used ashlars with plinth-stones from the old west gable of the nave and above in monk bricks. Its vaulted bottom room opens to the nave in a pointed arch arcade, the heavy and probably late Gothic porch is in the bottom in re-used ashlars and monk bricks and above in small, newer stones. The nave inside has a flat plaster loft, while the choir in the late Middle Ages got a cross vault with frescoes, the Romanesque kragsten are preserved.



the portal with a ribbon

Upon the walled communion table is a large Renaissance altar triptychon with side wings and a top field, under the foot is carved the year 1615, and the coat of arms and names of the givers Eske Brock and Christence Viffert in the side wings. In the large field was from 1892- 1948 a painting, which now hangs in the nave, while the original crucifix painting is  restored and put on its old place. Upon the triumph wall hangs a Catholic carved triptychon from ab. 1450 with the earliest known plastic pieta-image in Denmark, probably from the same workshop as the Preetz-tablet in the National Museum. The Romanesque granite font with double lions stands in the choir arch. The pulpit is Renaissance, with pillars and with decorations around portal-fields, given in 1621 by Eske Brock and Christence Viffert, whose coat of arms and names are painted in the fields. A contemporaty sounding board. The bell has the year 1547.




the vicarage

 In the porch is a runestone, found in 1954 in the dike, the preserved part of the inscription is: "- - Ulrik broder sin "( "- - Ulrik brother his)".

Names in the Middle Ages: Lem ( 1407 Lem, 1470 Lææm).

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 4 hills.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.

photo: grethe bachmann & stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

Fjenneslev church / Fjenneslev kirke, Alsted herred, Sorø amt.

 

Fjenneslev church, ab. 8 km east of Sorø

The church in Fjenneslev has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave. Above the west end of the nave were later, but still in Romanesque period, built two twin towers. The church in Fjenneslev is among our most interesting village churches. According to a reliable tradition was it built as a farm-church by Skjalm Hvide's son Asser Rig, who lived in Fjenneslev like his father. (Skjalm Hvide and his son Toke were buried in the church, but later moved to Sorø church). The wellknown legend that Asser's wife fru Inge built the towers, when she gave birth to the sons Absalon and Esbern Snare, while her husband was with the army in Sweden is not historic, partly because the two sons were not twins, partly because the bricks used for the towers were not used in Denmark as early as in the 1120s. Fru Inge might have built the towers, but earliest when Asser died, and it is more probable that they were built toward 1200.

The small original building with very high walls (nave 6,85 m) is built in small, raw, cleaved boulders with ashlars in granite and Fakse-limestone. The apse-window  is outside in the shape of a fourleaf clover , the two windows of the choir and the four east windows of the nave are original, but extended in the glade; a window in the north wall was blinded, when the towers were built, and the round arched door in recent times; the straight edged south door was remade.  The half cupolar vault of the apse and the choir arch are untouched.

The south, west and north wall of the tower-section rest upon the walls of the nave, its east wall upon three arcades, supported by two pretty granite pillars with polished shanks, palmette-decorated bases (similar the font in Kalundborg church) and cube capitals. Two groin vaults cover the two soutern bays of the tower room, and through the northernest leads a re-newed walled staircase to the second storey, which probably in the beginning was a gallery; it opens toward the nave in three arcades, each "square"-divided with three glazed, burnt-clay pillars with leaf ornament upon the capitals (familiar to a younger south portal in Sorø); only the northernest bay was kept until the restore. After a crash of the south tower were the two towers combined in 1561, and when the southern part of this tower crashed, probably in 1657, was a new tower built, which southeast corner rested upon the southern of two pillars, concluding parts of the old north tower.












The church stands now with a flat ceiling in choir and nave and a pyramid spire on the towers. It is completely marked by restorations from 1872-74 and 1898. In the first restoration were removed three cross vaults, which in the late Gothic period had been built in choir and nave, and which almost hid the pretty tower-gallery, the Romanesque windows were re-opened, the south tower re-built and like the lower equipped with south and north gables; furthermore was a medieval porch in front of the south door replaced by the present porch. In the last restoration achieved the two towers their present look with pyramid-spires, they were shaped according to the church-model on the frescoe founder-picture, which was found on the triumph wall (and like the related church in Tveje-Merløse). A chapel to the north, probably a grave-chapel for the farm Mørup in the 1500-1600s, disappeared latest in 1808.

From the valuable frescoes from 1150-1200 (restore 1947) are - besides rests above the vaults - only kept some on underside of the choir arch , two bishops, and on the west side of the triumph wall, the kings' worship from a Byzantine diagram, and under this the legendary picture of the founders of the church: the lord of the manor handing the church model up to God and his wife offering a ring behind him. It is uncertain if the figures depict Asser Rig and fru Inge or Asser's father Skjalm Hvide and wife, but it is probably the first mentioned, since the church frescoe shows the two latest built towers.

The communion table is probably the original table with an original cover plate in black-polished marble. The altar decotration is a late Gothic crucifix, ab. 1525, from Claus Berg's workshop and probably coming from Brahetrolleborg church, where the original cross is still kept. Chalice from ab. 1550 by the Køge-goldsmith Anders. Romanesque granite font in Roskilde-type. Baptismal brass bowl, given in 1779 by Joh. Henrik greve Knuth. Early Gothic choir arch crucifix 1250-75 on a contemporary cross. The simple pulpit with fluted corner-pillars in Renaissance from ab. 1590 was earlier placed as a "lektoriestol" in front of the choir arch. Bells: 1) 1589 cast by Matthias Benninck, 2) from 1614.

lektoriestol =   like a gallery.
In the church yard is a runestone. It was found in 1830, when the old dike was demolished, and it was raised in 1910. The stone is ab. 1,70 m long. The inscription is: "Sasser rejste stenen og gjorde broen". ("Sasser raised the stone and made the bridge"). In Slaglille parish is a bridge across Tuelå (river) south of Fjenneslev, called Sasserbro, probably built once by the Sasser, who's mentioned on the stone.


 Mørup manors history can be traced back to the 1500s. When Pont. Atlas III p. 78 and VI p. 321 mentions Hack Nielsen (or Hack Hacksen) and Christen Mikkelsen (+ 1609), who both are buried in the church, as owners of Mørup,  then this is hardly true. It appears from a royal letter from 1584 that Mørup at that time belonged to Sorø kloster and thus to the Crown. Reinholt Berckhus (+ 1585) earlier bailiff in Sorø kloster, was endowed with M., probably like some form of pension. He was succeeded by the king's stoker, above mentioned Christen Mikkelsen (m.to Reinholts widow), who had M. as a copyhold, not as owned. Hack Nielsen was probably in a similar position. A missive from 1633 says that M. was always ordained as the king's hunting farm, and that the king's servants were especially endowed with it. After Christen Mikkelsen succeeded in 1609-23 Magnus Lakaj, 1623-34 Hans Sørensen and then the king's saddle boy Rasmus Ibsen. Daniel Denov, Christian IV's livknægt( king's personal servant), who in 1644 had a letter for life on M., was probably only a copyhold farmer like the previous. He died 1666, and the life-letter was given to his second wife who still lived in 1672. The same years deeded the king M. to Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve ( + 1704), who sold it in 1678 to Frederik Gabel (+ 1708), who 1686 sold it to Niels Christoffersen  (+ 1691), from whose heirs (the son Christopher Ørnfelt Nielsen in Copenhagen and the sons-in-law, vicar of Svallerup, Jacob Fribert and manager at Sorø farm Johan Lange) it in 1695 was sold to major Frantz Christian Bonorden. He sold it on already in 1698 to Johan Haxen (+ 1704), whose widow married Niels Fogh (lived still 1710). This year was M. sold at public auction to Mads Nielsen Lind in Holbæk, who in 1711 sold it on to Otto Korff, who in 1716 sold it together with Fjenneslev church to colonel Christian Luxdorph (+ 1726). His widow Susanne Magdalene Worm left at her death in 1735 M. to her son, Bolle Willum Luxdorph (+ 1788) under whom the farm burnt down in 1743. He sold it in 1748 to Laurs Biørn, who in 1755 after having bought Gundetved (later Selchausdal) the same year sold M. to Holger Skeel (+ 1764) whose widow Regitze Sophie, née baroness Güldencrone (+ 1779) in 1772 sold M. to Eggert Christoffer greve Knuth (+ 1776),  who had it established as an entailed estate. After him it went to his son Johan Henrik greve Knuth (+ 1802), At his death went M. and the greve-title to a younger halfbrother Frederik Knuth  (+ 1818) Iin 1803 was the fideikommissariske band abandoned and M. was sold to Iver Amnitzböll (+ 1816), whose widow Dorothea Elisabeth in 1817 married Peter Diderik Ibsen (later parish priest in Kgs. Lyngby, + 1855). In 1825 was M. with farm estate sold at auction to Sorø akademi.

North of Fjenneslev church, in the northwestern corner of the church yard, were found rests of buildings, which assumedly belonged to Skjalm Hvide's farm. On this place was the largest farm in the village until the end of the 1700s, when it burnt down. After this it was relocated. The site was examined in 1826, and walls were found of a cellar room ab. 6 x 6 meter in a height of ab. 1,5 m. The material was small boulders and flint in a mortar of chalk  - only the inner of the room was in large boulders. In the western wall were two door-openings with rests of limestone-frames. The southern led up to a staircase ( it was supposedly made on the occassion of Frederik VI's visit), the northern to a smaller cellar room. The floor was in little stones         
doused in mortar. Furthermore were found rests of a strange gutter, made in burnt brick. According to the technique of the walls is the wall work contemporary to the church, but it seems too frail to have carried a stone building. Based on the examinations is it impossible to say something definitive about the age and character of the original farm-plan. Possibly are the out-digged rests only part of a large and not fortificated farm, which seems to hide under the road and west of this. The cellars have all been covered, and on the place is a small  park, where a memorial stone was raised for Asser Rig in 1903.

Names in the Middle Ages:
Kirke Fjenneslev (1201 Fialensleve, 1343 Fiænesløfflitle, ab. 1370 Fyælenzlef); Fjenneslevmagle (1347 Fiænesleffmagle); Mørup ( 1205 Møthorp).

Listed prehistorics: North of the church is Fjenneslev Bavnehøj with a passage grave, where the cover stone is missing. South of the village is a hill Stejlebanke.

Demolished or destroyed: 3 dolmens or undecided stone graves, 2 hills.

In Fjenneslev parish was born in ab. 1127 Esbern Snare, in ab. 1128 Absalon.

Source: Trap Danmark, Sorø amt, 1954. 
photo 2004: grethe bachmann

Sjelle church / Sjelle kirke, Framlev herred, Aarhus amt.

Sjelle Church, ab. 15 km northeast of Århus
Sjelle sogn, Framlev herred, Århus amt.


At the southern border of Sjelle parish runs Lyngbygård å (river) through a broad valley , and north of this rises a hilly land where the highest point (117 m) is north of Sjelle Fredskov. ( A Fredskov is a forest protected against clearing, grazing etc, and which areas must stay forested).

Sjelle church lies in the middle of the villlage and is a longhouse-building with a Romanesque nave and a later added eastern extension, with a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The original part of the longhouse was built in granite ashlars. The Romanesque south door with a smooth tympanum is still in use, while the north door with half pillars is walled. The three cross vaults of the nave are Gothic, but of the same character (late Middle Age) like the west tower, built in ashlars and monk bricks. The tower room has a beamed ceiling with a broad pointed arch in connetion to the longhouse. The porch in monk bricks is possibly late medieval, but was rebuilt in 1879 in connection to a restoration. Tower and porch are white-washed.

The walled communion table is hidden in a wooden panel and an antepedium. The altar piece is Renaissance and much alike in Skovby Church nearby, with 4 carved coat of arms for Hans Rostrup of Sjelle Skovgård (+1611) and fru Anne Gundesdatter Lange. In the middle field is a new painting. The altarpiece was equipped with new colours in 1940. The baptismal font has a square foot and a half circular basin and is probably rather new. The pulpit is from 1598, made by the same carpenter as the altarpiece with the names of Hans Rostrup and Anne Gundesdatter Lange. The sounding board is Baroque. (bruskbarok: 1630-70). A klingpung (= a purse placed on a long stick for collection in church) is kept in the museum "Den Gamle By" in Århus.



In the floor of the church was a large runestone, which is now placed in the porch; it is mentioned in 1591 by Anders Sørensen Vedel. In the top is a face masque and the inscription is : Frøsten satte denne sten efter sin lagsmand Gyrd, Sigvalds broder - - Tvegges (?) - - på - - ed. (Frøsten put up this stone after Gyrd, Sigvald's brother etc). Anders Sørensen Vedel presumed that the stone must be the famous legendary hero Svend Felding's gravestone, but that was before it was possible to read the runes!

Sjelle Skovgård (1424 Skoffgardt; 1465 Selloff Skouffgaard) probably belonged to hr. Laurids Hvas of Ormstrup, in 1465 his son Erik Hvas had a part of the manor, his brother-in-law Svend Torbernsen (Udsen) owned it in 1468 and a sister's son Laurids Rostrup was the owner in 1494. The manor was inherited in the Rostrup-family until the 1600s. The main building is placed high in the hilly terrain down to Skørring bæk. (brook) The present building was probably built ab. 1770 by grev Erhard Wedel Friis. Anders Sørensen Vedel says in 1591 that Jørgen Rostrup of 'Seluff Skaffgard' once found a foundation of a house where Svend Felding had lived. Here was also found a great copper pot and armor and sword which were in the borgestuen (big hall) for a long time. Ca. 1760 it is mentioned that the copper pot ' Svend Feldings Øllebrødspotte' (pot for bread-and-beer soup) was still at the manor.

According to Pont. Atlas was at Sjelle Skovgård a water mill, Skovgårds Mølle, which was demolished when Frederik IV broke down the farm buildings. Large dam systems across the water stream at the farm must be traces from this.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish but there were 4 hills.


Names in the Middle Ages:
Sjelle: 1308 Sieløue; 1495 Sylluf; 1544 Sello.

Source: Trap Danmark, Århus Amt, 1963.


photo Sjelle kirke 2005: grethe bachmann

Asmild church / Asmild kirke, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt

Asmild Church, at Viborg
Asmild sogn, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt. 

Asmild Church is situated on the eastern side of the lake ' Viborg Søndersø.' It was built around 1090 under the rule of king Oluf Hunger and is one of the earliest stone churches in Denmark. The first building was a large three-naved church with choir and apse to the east and a great hall to the west, which raised above the roof of the nave as a low tower. It was larger than many other village churches built in the 1100-1200s, and with its placement upon a hill by the lake with a view to Viborg it was an impressive building. An explanation of its size was that it was the cathedral of the district before the building of the cathedral in Viborg had finished 1133, but even after this year the bishops still had constant connections to Asmild.

The bishop's own house was placed about 375 m east of the church, and bishop Eskil probably lived here in 1132. While celebrating mass bishop Eskil was killed on 20th of October 1132 in front of the altar. The reason for the murder was the civil war, and it was probably done by order of king Erik Emune. In the 1200s a brick house was built for the bishop on Klostermarken, and rests of a stone house have been found at this place. The famous bishop Gunnar, who wrote the first words in king Valdemar's Jyske Lov "Med Lov skal Land bygges" is mentioned in Asmild in 1251. He invited at least once or twice a year the parish people to his house and treated them with costly dinners and noble wines. The bishop's house is still mentioned in 1543.




About 1165 a three naved Augustine convent was built at the south side of the church. The convent belonged like the parish church to Viborg chapter. The church services were performed by the bishop and his canons. In the middle of the 1300s the church was ravaged by a violent fire, and a complete rebuilding was made of the middle part of the nave. There have been several changes up to the 1500. After the reformation Asmild belonged to the Crown - the nuns were allowed to stay, but after 1552 it became a royal entailed estate.

In 1907 the convent burnt down except the East Wing, which later was demolished in 1958. Today only the church building stands with the furnishing and the inventory which the owners since the reformation have given to the more than 900 year old church.

The inventory is old, rich and well preserved. The style being Renaissance, Rococco and Baroque. The Romanesque granite baptismal font is of a simple style and probably from the 1200s. In the western side of the church is a gallery with original portrait paintings of nine Oldenburg kings. In the porch is a rune stone which was found in 1950. The inscription cannot be interpreted fully. It says : 'Thorgunn Thorgot Thjodulvssøns datter satte denne sten efter Bose, sin mand, tidenders mand....... ' ( 'Thorgunn the daughter of Thorgot Thjodulvvsøn placed this stone after her husband Bose, man of times........) - meaning that he was famous and respected.

On the paved parking place south of the church the old buildings of the convent are marked with coloured stones, so visitors may catch an image of, how large it once was. The old well is digged out, and the deep, prettily put up well is seen today.Upon the low piece of land west of the church is a model of the medieval convent garden with old plants and medicinal herbs which was used by the monks and nuns.


Nørreådalen

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Overlund (1556 Offuerlun(n)d(t)); Gammel Asmild ( *1100s Asmiald, 1304 Asmeld, 1551 Gammel Asmildt); Lille Asmild ( 1664 Lille Aszmild); Asmildkloster (* 1441 Aszmild closter); Søgårde (1524 Siøgardt); Tranborg (1664 Tranborig); Dalsgård (1541 Dalsgord); Holmsgård
(1551 Holumsgaard); Søndermølle (1488 Sønder mølle).

Listed prehistorics: 34 hills, of which 25, among those the large Kongehøj, are situated in a group southwest of Bruunshåb; most of these are Stone Ages single grave hills. Other large hills are Langvadhøj in a plantation at Bruunshåb and Odshøj at Gl. Asmild.
Demolished or destroyed: 49 hills

Upon an islet in Nørreådalen is a settlement from Gudenåkulturen. At Søgårde's heath is a grave from early Roman Iron Age with a clay rattle; a grave with 5 claypots from the same time is known from Overlund. In Broddenbjerg mose (moor) is found a phallic wooden figure, probably an idol from Iron Age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962


photo 2003 and 2007: grethe bachmann