Haraldsted church / Haraldsted kirke, Ringsted herred, Sorø Amt

The church in Haraldsted has a Romanesque nave and a Gothic sacristy, longhouse choir, porch and tower. The Romanesque nave is a large building in travertine and raw boulder. The southern door is extended, while the northern is bricked up. The longwalls had each three windows, to the north all are kept as bricked up, while to the south only the westernest is traceable from the porch loft, glared behind the window glade. Ab. 1400 the nave had three cross vaults. The bottom section of the western tower, which possibly contains older sections, are built in mixed material, limestone and bricks, and it seems to be dated 1478 in an inscription in limestone on the south wall: "Dominus Ihesus Christus, alpha et omega, deus et homo, Maria, Johannes, sanctus Petrus, Herluf Skave, Fru Ølgoer, dominus Ericus Laurencii, Jep Andersen, Matis Tote. Anno Domini mcdlxx octavo."  Furthermore a clog with trunk is seen. Easternest on the north side an original stairhouse, where the bottom, flatcurved door is bricked up. To the south and west are remade windows in a threefoil-curved "mirror". The tower room was overvaulted after 1500, and a new upper section was built with a stairhouse to the south.On the east side of this and on the west side of the tower are carved limestone heads. The roof gables of the tower were rewalled in 1866. Before the original choir was demolished, was in ab. 1500 built a sacristy in bricks with three small, flatcurved windows and a glare-gable. In the beginning of the 1500s, possibly 1520 (acc. to a choir bench)  the choir was replaced by a longhouse choir with two flatcurved, outside rabbet windows in the south wall. The porch to the south from ab. 1500 was in 1520 enheightened with a floor-divided glare gable.

The walled communion table is covered in a panelwork from ab. 1550-75 with a  painted Renaissance-decoration, which copies intarsia around  a medaillon with a portrait of a man and a woman in contemporary dress. The altarpiece is a carved work in Renaissance from 1601, probably made by a Roskilde master. Altar chalice from ab. 1400, remade 1674. Candelabres in  silver plate from 1719. A pair of  mismatched Gothic candelabres are kept at Skjoldenæsholm, and a pair belonging together are at the National Museum. Altar crucifix  from the 1600s, probably from a coffin. In the footpiece of the altarpiece is an enamel painting  from 1700s, given to the church in 1817.  A side altar for Sct. Jørgen (George) in the choir was removed in 1816, and on this occassion was found a shrine with a relic in a parchment piece with inscription: " Anno 1514 Sanct Michels dag lagde vi..." Another side altar in the choir has disappeared later. Above the font is a thurible from the 1400s. The monstranshouse from 1527 is a rich late Gothic woodcarving with an upper part with spire. Cup-shaped ore cast font by the caster Olaf Henriksen Kegge. The baptismal bowl is from 1665-66. A late Gothic choir arch crucifix with a hovering angel from ab. 1525. The pulpit in Renaissance from ab. 1625 was probably made by Hans Holt in Køge or Copenhagen. At the original place by the wall of the choir is a late Gothic choir-bench, which by an inscription is dated 1520; furthermore a parish clerk-chair in the same work with flower gables and the coat of arms of bishop Lage Urne.The gables from the parish clerk-chair were together with a third late Gothic gable used in a new choir-chair by the north wall of the choir, and its present gables do not belong here. In the door of the nave is an excellent late Gothic door-wing from 1525 with the coat of arms of the pope and bishop Lage Urne. (probably made by the same master as the bishop's celebrant chair in Roskilde cathedral). Bells: 1) 1747 by Joh. Barth. Holtzmann;  2) 1779, M.C Troschell. The church yard has to the south and east partly medieval walls, with a gate to the south.

Knud Lavard's Kapel

Knud Lavard was buried in Haraldsted church (he was later buried in Ringsted church), after he was murdered in the forest at Haraldsted (Harrested Ore, "Lavardskov"), where he the night before had visited his family, Cæcilia, the daughter of Knud den Hellige and her husband Erik, earl and chief of Falster. Where Knud Lavard was killed, tells Saxo, a spring gushed up as a healing power for people (later in the Middle Ages another spring is mentioned, it came up where the bearers placed the stretcher while resting, when they brought the body from Haraldsted church to Ringsted). The tradition connected for a long time the memory about Knud Lavard and the holy spring to "Sværtekilde" 2 km north of Haraldsted village. It now lies upon an open field, but a long time ago it was surrounded by forest.  (here was still in the 1800s held mysterious midsummer feasts). It was also at this place where the chapel, built in the honor of Knud Lavard, supposedly was situated. This chapel had disappeared already in the 1500s, since a letter of 20/ 4 1566 from the Ringsted-abbot Frands Andersen to Frederik II mentions that there was a chapel at the small "Kellegaard" (Kildegård: kilde = spring), where the priest lived, and which earlier was used by the kloster-person, who had the supervision of the chapel for the sake of the indulgence-sale. In 1855, when Frederik VII let make examinations at Ringsted, they also searched in vain for the rests of this chapel at Sværtekilden by Kastrupgård. In some new examinations in 1883 dr. Henry Petersen found the ruin, but in quite another place, namely east northeast of Haraldsted village, at a place, which on the map was referred to as Kildemur ( = spring wall), close to the outskirt of V. After the reformation the chapel was probably used secularly, maybe for scullery or bakery. In the forester's lot outside the Hellebjergskoven (forest) was raised a cross 8/6 1902, Knud Lavard's kors, a 4 m tall wooden cross with a copper roof, given by Thor Lange with the inscription: "Hellig Knud Hertug, + 7 Jan. 1131" and upon a shield "Sursum corda". In 1912 was at the church place raised a memorial, also given by Thor Lange, with one of his inscriptions: " Her stod Haraldsted Kongsgaard." and below "Taarn og Tinde Tid forøder, Fortids Minde Fremtid føder." ( something like: time destructs tower and spire, but the prehistoric memory feeds the future)       













About 700 m east of the church lies the ruin (excavated 1884) of Knud Lavard's kapel, a Romanesque plan with apse, choir and nave, which already in the Romanesque period was extended to the west. The building was built ab. 1150 in travertine ashlars upon a double plinth, above which the walls are kept till 1 m height. The original door-places to the south and north have outer rabbet and inside bevelled frames. Still in the Romanesque period, possibly ab. 1170, the nave was extended to the west, also with travertine and upon a similar plinth. The door in the extension to the west has an outer rabbet, but straight frames. The chapel was overvaulted in ab. 1250, and at the same time the original doors were bricked up, and a new brick door was made in the north wall of the nave. In the western section of the building was found a brick floor in zigzag-pattern, probably from the same period as the vaults.

Haraldsted belonged acc. to Valdemars jordebog to the king and worked probably as its own birk (judicial district). Here was probably a kongsgaard (king's castle) which Knud Lavard's  relative Erik Jarl ab. 1130 had as a vasalry. In 1253 Christoffer I gave hr. Gunzelin, count of Schwerin "all property in Haraldsted" as a vasalry. Ab. 1520 belonged H. or a parts of it under Skjoldenæs vasalry, and followed this later to Roskildegård, and came from here in 1585 to Ringsted kloster. In 1588 the village or parts of it burnt down. In 1621 the vasal of Ringsted vasalry, hr. Axel Urne was given royal command to give the priest in H. free timber for the rebuild of his burnt house. At the same time he was told to let rebuild and repair the church- barn, so the king could sleep there, when he passed the place. In 1622 the king's road between Antvorskov slot and H. is mentioned, and in 1626 the peasants in Roskilde vasalry had restraining order to make a road for the king between H. and Roskilde. There is undoubtedly a close connection between these king's roads and "Kongens Hus" in H.  Still in 1639 neither road or house seem to be provided for. This year Jørgen Seefeldt at Ringsted kloster was ordered to as soon as possible to build the house in H. , which the king had commanded. From Chr. IV's last years and from Frederik III's time are several reports that royal persons resided in H., but under Chr. V. the house was probably demolished and the materials were sold. A farm close south southwest of the church has still got the name "Kongsgården".

On the north side of the eastern part of Langesø (lake) south of the village Valsømagle was a main farm, where the castle bank still exists. It seems that it from the 1300s belonged to a family Dyre. In 1377 is mentioned a Peder Dywr of Hwalsoemagle, in 1396 Jep Pedersen Dyur. In 1451 is mentioned a Jens Diur and 1459-61 Aage Diur in V.magle. In 1459-63 is also mentioned væbner Peder Nielsen Bryske, who used the coat of arms of the family Iis; in 1488-96 is mentioned a modest man Niels Mortensen in V. magle, whose ancestors by the kings had got sealed letters of "some freedom", which letters king Hans confirmed in 1488. In 1496 deeded Niels Mortensen his farm to hr. Henrik Meinstrup, high court judge at Sjælland, (+ 1497), who gave the king 2 other farms for his rights in the farm. It is obvious to assume that it was this farm, which his daughter, fru Anne Meinstrup (after her marriage to Holger Eriksen Rosenkrantz, + 1496.  She was called Anne Holgers) later owned and resided. She was in 1535 under grevefejden (civil war) killed by the peasants at the Sjælland Thing  in Ringsted, and her farm was destroyed by the rebels. After her the farm came probably to her daughter, Sofie Holgersdatter Rosenkrantz (+ 1558) who in 1551 or 52 after her husband hr. Axel Brahe's death gave her brother's children various estate and V. came probably to Erik Rosenkrantz of Arreskov (+ 1575), who in 1573 exchanged it with among others 17 farms in V.village to the king for Kærstrup (later Valdemars slot) at Tåsinge.  The farm was after the exchange equipped as a royal hunting farm with "fish parks" in the lake. In 1574 the king gave Eggert Ulfeldt at Roskildegård command to abolish the newly established royal hunting house in Høed, since one royal hunting house in this district was enough. Frederik II stayed in the following years often at V.gård, from where several royal letteres were issued. In 1585 the vasalry went to the king's "lone wolf ", Andreas von Stufenborg. In 1587 Andreas announced that the buildings were fallen into decay. Later the sources are silent about the farm. It was possibly replaced by the farm Nygård close by, which is mentioned in 1624, when the peasants in Valsømagle complained about that a field, which had earlier belonged to the village, was transferred to Nygård, without their taxes being reduced.  In 1627 high court judge Jakob Ulfeldt at Ringsted kloster had royal command to let the decayed buildings at Nygård break down and use the material for Ringsted kloster's corn barn.

At the north side of Haraldsted sø (lake ) south of Valsømagle village lies the enigmatic earthwork Ridebanen.  It consists of a 3 m high, half circular bank, closed towards the lake but open towards the land, where the two ends of the bank, with a distance of 50 m, join a hillside. A road leads down the hillside to the place inside the banks.

A little west of Ridebanen at the lakefront lies the wellkept castle bank Nygård, the old site of Valsøgård. It consists of a  four-sided bank, surrounded to the west by a moat, to the north, east and south by hollows, which originally might have been water-filled. In the southern hollow are two small rectangular ponds. Upon the castle bank are traces of a boulder foundation of two wings, an eastern and a northern. In the lakefront outside the castle bank are rests of pilework. Still rests of the road across the moat are seen. The farm was destroyed during the grevefejden (civil war) but was probably rebuilt.

Farthest out upon a small landtongue, which stretches from the east out to the low meadows at Gørlev sø, lies the wood-covered castle bank Gørrildsborg or Jarleborg; it consists of a rectangular bank (ab. 55 x 45 m). In connection to this a lesser front-terrain stretches to the northwest; this is hardly a part of the fortification, but only the farthest end of the ridge, in which the bank was cut out. The situation of the castle must probably be viewed in connection to the old "Kongevej" (king's road), which passed east of the bank and the river at Holtebro.

Upon a hill south of Skåninggård in Valsømagle were in 1938 found traces of a monk brick wall upon a boulder foundation. It is not known to where the wall work belongs. Some pieces of ceramic seem to date to the High Middle Ages.

Listed prehistorics: At Kastrupgård a long dolmen with 2 chambers; at Skee Tåstrup a very disorganized dolmen chamber. 6 hills, like the impressive Dronninghøj and Kernehøj, both west of H.
Demolished: A dolmen and 25 hills, mostly in the western part of the parish, Kongshøj west of H. was very impressive.

In Skee Mose (moor), was found a now disappeared settlement from the Maglemose culture. At Valsømagle was a rich and important sacrifice find from the beginning of Bronze Age with 5 axes, a sword, 4 spearheads, a dagger and a fish hook, it was found in two piles with about 80 m's distance. At H. a burial place from late Roman Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages :
Haraldsted (1231 Haraldstath, 1357 Konigsharaldstethe); Valsømagle (1321 Walsye Maklæ);  Skee (1256 Scethæ); Skee Tåstrup (ab. 1370 Thorstop); Allindelille (1257 Alunde paruum); Egtvedgård (ab. 1525 Egtuid); Kastrupgård (ab. 1525 Kastrvp). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Sorø amt, 1954.

photo 2004: grethe bachmann

Hald, Mid Jutland , Viborg amt

Hald.
Dollerup sogn, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt.

Hald is Jutland itself, the beautiful magnificent Jutland. Hald's history can be brought back to the 14th century. Several legends have tales about the farm , but they still are legends. The farm is not known until in historical time.

Hald is a typical example of a move from castle bank to castle bank like it has happened to several Danish manors. The farm had during the centuries up to five various building places. The three first buildings are still traceable as banks close to the present main building. The first and oldest is the castle bank a little east of the manor and northwest of Hald sø, Brattingsborg, which is placed upon a high, steep hillside. It is a so-called curia-castrum plan, cut into the hill. It has two square banks, divided by and originally surrounded by up to 20 meter broad, dry moats, which are now rather down-ploughed. The castle bank measures ab. 40 x 40 m and rises 6 meter above the bottom of the moat, while the southeastern bank, with a measure of 40 x 23 m, is lower. No building traces or other cultural relics have been found. According to local tradition was this castle bank established by Valdemar Atterdag during the siege of Niels Bugge's Hald - the bank is also called Valdemarskansen, but this can hardly be true. Brattingsborg origins to the earlier part of the Middle Ages before Niels Bugge's Hald.


Brattingsborg

From the 14th century the manors were built in low places, at rivers, lakes, moors, fens and at the coasts, so the castle by the help of impassable water-filled surroundings could keep away the attackers. The old high-placed castles were often moved down to a small islet in the lake. At such a place is the second Hald, Gammelhald(Old Hald) or Niels Bugge's Hald. It is a round 6-7 high castle bank equipped with banks on the sides towards land. In the meadow, which now surrounds the bank on three sides, is a 10-15 broad moat with a ring-dam in front. In test- excavations were found destroyed foundations of bricked buildings and the rests of a bricked baking oven.


at Niels Bugge's Hald

The knowledge of Hald's history goes back to the beginning of the 14th century. The owner of the farm was probably marsk hr. Ludvig Albertsen Eberstein (+ 1328), whose daughter Margrethe sold her part of the inheritance to her brother Peder Ludvigsen Eberstein, which the king confirmed in 1346. The year before had Peder Ludvigsen pawned his two parts of Hald to Niels Bugge of Nørre Vosborg, and in 1346 he sold farm and estate to him. Niels Bugge was one of the richest and mightiest noblemen in Denmark. He built his strong castle at Hald, which is mentioned in a famous Danish folksong about Niels Bugge's and king Valdemar's feud. Although Niels Bugge owned other farms in Jutland, his name is especially connected to Hald. From here he lead in the 1350s the large rebellion of the mispleased Jutland nobility against Valdemar Atterdag , after the king in vain had tried to bring the nobility on his own side. Niels Bugge was not only the richest nobleman at that time, he was also the most masterful, and he dared to oppose the king. This resulted in king Valdemar's siege of Hald, which is also mentioned in the folk song, where Niels Bugge finally says that he will be able to keep the king away from Hald for nine winters.


at Niels Bugge's Hald

Niels Bugge succeeded in keeping his independence, like he did against grev Gert. The king had to leave without having achieved anything, and at the big danehof (Highest Court-meeting/Denmark's mightiest men) in Nyborg 1354, the reconciliation took place between Valdemar Atterdag and the Danish people, but it did not last for long. The displeasure soon burst into flames. In the end of 1358 Niels Bugge went, granted safe passage, together with two other noblemen to Slagelse (Sjælland) in order to come to an agreement with the king. No reconciliation came off, and already in January 1359 the noblemen went back with no result. When they came to Middelfart (Funen) on their journey home, they were murdered by some fishermen. Was the king responsible?This has always only been a guess, but it is worth to notice that the king solemny disclaimed any guilt. The inhabitants of the houses in Vestergade in Middelfart, where the perpetrators lived, had to pay a yearly tax or blood-money, the so-called Buggespenge, a tax, which was first lifted over 500 years later, in 1874.


at Hald with the tower in the background
photo 1999: Kai Bachmann

In his second marriage to Ingeborg Pedersdatter Vendelbo Niels Bugge had a daughter Lisbeth, who was married to the Mecklenborg knight Gotskalk Skarpenberg, who for a period had been in service by the Swedish king Magnus Smek and was chief at Båhus. He was now the owner of Hald, but sold it soon after to king Valdemar Atterdag. He did not get any payment for it from the king, and first under queen Margrethe's rule the payment came to fru Lisbeth and her son rigsråd Johan Skarpenberg of Gammellund and Højriis. Already in 1377 was Hald pawned to Timme Limbek, from whom queen Margrethe paid it in 1387 with 600 mark silver. In 1393 the queen gave Hald castle and estate to Viborg bishopric on the condition that the buildings were broken down and the material used for building the Viborg-cathedral, furthermore she wanted a yearly mass to be held for her and her parents' souls in the church.

In the 15th and 16th century are no informations if Hald was fortificated. The latest Catholic bishops resided sometimes at Hald, and they had probably a farm-building, where their bailiff lived. But the last Catholic bishop in Viborg, Jørgen Friis, lived at Hald. He moved here in 1529 from Viborg and thereby placed the large estate of the bishopric under Hald Castle. Hans Tausen had begun his reformatory work in Viborg in 1525, and there was a lot of trouble around this, so maybe Jørgen Friis preferred to withdraw to his fortificated farms in the bishopric. He was a great building-master at Hald. He built the still preserved bank at a low foreland in Hald sø, northeast of Niels Bugge's castle, with strong embankments towards land, from where the attacks might come.


Jørgen Friis' Hald

Only a rest of one of the buildings is preserved, namely the circular tower, which is partly built into the western bank; it is built in red monk bricks, and its full diameter is ab. 12 m. The bottom room was probably used as a prison-cellar, above this were at least two storeys, and round about were narrow light-openings. Unfortunately the tower is partly destroyed by a heavy-handed "restoration" in the beginning of the 20th century. At the southeastern corner of the bank were found a couple of bricked rooms and the rests of a secret passage or gate, opening a little above the surface of the lake. The castle was as to fortifications an early example of a consistent use of heavy earthworks as a protection against larger calibre fire-weapons.

The Viborg-bishop built a large and strong castle, and his thoughts were not only about the beyond, but he also claimed his position as one of the great lords of Nørrejylland. The castle was undoubtedly his work. There is also a written source from that time saying that the bishop built a fortificated castle at Hald. In spite of the thick walls and towers it ended sadly for the strong bishop. The reformation came quickly to Viborg, and when the grevefejden broke out, Jørgen Friis had to join Christian III, but this connection to the Lutheranian king was probably not meant honestly. There were several lawsuits against the bishop, and in 1536 he even had to be imprisoned in his own prison tower at Hald.



Jørgen Friis' Hald

Hald became, like many other manors, a royal vasalry after the reformation. All church- and kloster estate were confiscated by the Danish monarchy. Most of it was transferred to the Crown; the nobility had to be content having the estate back, which during time had been given to the church as soul mass gifts; the king got all the bishops' estate, the kloster estate and the bishops' taxes. The economic advantages by leaving the Catholicism and join the Lutheranism probably weighed heavily in this change of belief. Hald became a main vasalry, it was transferred to the Crown's estate in Fjends and Nørlyng herred and upon Mors, later came Rinds and Middelsom herred. The vasals had Hald transferred as an account-vasalry, they got wages for governing, while the other income went to the king. The position of the vasal was like a modern official, he could also be removed on the king's wish.


at Hald sø and inside the tower.

Up till 1660 a flock of the best noblemen of the kingdom were vasals at Hald. Some only a few years, others for decades. The first vasal was the Holstein Henrik Rantzau of Nienhus and Eskildsmark; he achieved several vasalries, since the king had borrowed money from him. From 1541 till 1544 was Christoffer Stygge Rosenkrantz vasal at Hald, and after him came the famous rigsmarsk Otte Krumpen, who had the vasalry until his death in 1569. In Frederik I's rule Otte Krumpen had an influential position. When the grevefejde broke out, he showed like many other Catholic noblemen an insecure and failing attitude; he joined Christian III and was therefore imprisoned by Copenhagen's citizens together with other rigsråd, i.e. Anders Bille, Oluf Rosenkrantz and Knud Pedersen Gyldenstierne, but after grevens fejde was in 1540 a reconciliation between the new government and the old Catholic noblemen. In 1544 Otte Krumpen achieved Hald as an account vasalry.

Successors at Hald were i.e. Corfitz Viffert 1569-73, the owner of Næs, the present Lindenborg; later Niels Skram and Jørgen Skram of Tjele, Henrik Below, Knud Gyldenstierne, who during the years 1627-29 stayed in Copenhagen under the enemy-invasion in Jutland, when Wallenstein's lansquenets robbed and plundered the Danish manors, churches and cities. It was Europe's wildest hordes of Croatians, Germans and Cossacks, who made their entry into the Danish kingdom, and everything was confusion, noblemen and citizens took flight, many to Norway, while the peasants took cover in forests and moors; money and treasures were buried to hide them from the enemy. Later in the 1600s Christian IV's son with Vibeke Kruse, Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, became vasal at Hald.


Hald sø seen from Dollerup bakker

The kings have visited Hald from time to time, many letters were issued here by the king. Christian III stayed at Hald for a period in 1558 and Frederik II in 1567, 1578 og 1587. The hunts in the forests of Hald were probably attractive. Frederik II announced his arrival to the vasal and ordered to make good rooms ready for him and the queen and enough food, beer and bread for him and his entourage. During this period a drawbridge led from the land to the castle. There was a bricked house in two storeys with east and west gables, besides was a bath for the royal visitors, a two storey half-timbered house with offfice and two bed chambers, a building, which contained kitchen and servant's hall and the large bricked tower. Upon the opposite land was the vasal's stables , the smitty and a high corn house, and farther away was the farm building, a four winged building with cattle house and barn.


Hald sø near Niels Bugge's Hald

After 1660 Frederik III pawned Hald to the Dutch jews, the brothers Jacob Isak and Samuel de Lima, and in 1664 they got a deed on the farm. The firm de Lima was one of the king's largest creditors , especially in the difficult years around the Swedish war, where the king often had to borrow money from them. The brothers hardly stayed much at Hald. During their old age they had economic trouble and had to sell some of the land. When the last brother died in 1687 and left the farm to his wife Rachel, she had through all her life to fight creditors and reminders . At last she gave it all up and sold in 1703 Hald for ab. 10.000 rigsdaler to generalmajor Gregers Daa.

New times arrived for the old castle. Gregers Daa broke down the old buildings, but let the large tower stand. He built a four-winged main building in one storey in bricks and half-timber upon the high bank down to the lake and established a French garden. But in the Great Nordic War 1710 Gregers Daa was appointed generalmajor in the cavalry. In the battle at Gadebusch 1712 he was wounded and died the same day as the last man of his family. Three days before his wife Jeanne Marie Ruse had died. She had earlier been married to baron Christian Juel-Rysensteen and had in this marriage a son Ove Henrik Juel-Rysensteen, who became the owner of Hald. He sold the farm already in 1717 to amtmand Jens Jørgensen Seerup. After his death in 1736 the owner was his son-in-law landsdommer, justitsråd Enevold Heug, and after his death in 1739 the son, købmand Christen Heug.

In 1745 was Hald sold to baron Vilhelm Gyldenkrone, who was a stiftamtmand of Viborg stift. In 1750 the farm was sold to landsdommer Frederik Skinkel, and now there was again quiet conditions at the old castle, although its owner was an aggresive and difficult gentleman. Skinkel was married to a daughter of the civil regimentsskriver Niels Olsen Molderup, had three children, of whom two died babies, the third was the daughter Charlotte, who was the main character in Steen Steensen Blicher's story "Eneste Barn". (Only child). She fell in love with a young officer Martinus Braëm, but her parents did not approve this relationship and sent her to Aunsbjerg to etatsråd Steen de Steensen, who was a brother-in-law of her father. Blicher met her at Aunsbjerg and heard the sad story of her life. At last she got her officer and as a dowry her father's curse, but her marriage was not happy.


Dollerup kirke

Frederik Skinkel built in 1789 the present main building, the fifth Hald. He probably thought of establishing a private chapel at the farm, but this brought life to a myth that he wanted to make the building a parish church. He was in 1769 allowed to break down Finderup and Dollerup church (this did not happen). After Skinkel's death in 1794 Hald went to the married couple Braëm, who in 1796 had permission to sell the copyhold-estate, but they already sold the reduced property in 1798 to earlier gehejmestatsminister Ove Høegh-Guldberg. He was a skilled farmer, but he was of the opinion that a peasant could only do his work by force; he became a tough master for the peasants at Hald. In his time Skinkel's building was furnished as a main building, but several buildings from Gregers Daa's time were still existing shortly into the 19th century. Two small garden pavillons are still preserved.

After Høegh-Guldberg's death in 1808 his heirs sold Hald to landsdommer Henrik Muhle Hoff. Two years later Hald was sold at auction to Jakob Engerslev Rosbord and C. Tolstrup of Sødal. The State took over Hald in 1847. In 1851 Hald was sold to Frederik Anton M. Krabbe (of Damsgård), and after this Hald was in the ownership of this family until 1918, where it was sold to the Norwegian skibsreder Steen Giebelhausen, and in the following time the farm changed owners, until it in 1937 was bought by godsejer Poul Arkner, who let it repair and modernize and restored the two garden pavillons.


Hald main building and Niels Bugges Kro

In 1943 Hald was sold to direktør M. Mikkelsen, who took over the farm at once, but it attracted attention all over the country that the authorities according to the laws during the war-conditions denied to register the deed. Therefore was the farm resold in 1944 to entreprenør Kristensen, whose father got a deed on it, but after the war the State demanded 1,8 mill kr. from Kristensen because of collaboration; Hald was transferred to the State. An international students' center opened in 1951. Although much have disappeared at Hald during time some have been preserved. Skinkel's pretty old building still stands, and from Gregers Daa's time origins the French garden plan and the four terasses, connected by stairs. In the main building several paintings remind about the earlier owners.

Source: Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 13, Midtjylland, Hald, af cand. mag. Elin Bach, 1966.


photo 1999, 2006, 2010: grethe bachmann