Taulov Church/ Taulov kirke, Elbo herred, Vejle amt.

Taulov church, Google earth.

Taulov Church
The large whitewashed church in Taulov has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west  and a porch to the south . At the east side of the choir is a strange, almost circular burial chapel from 1581. The Romanesque building is built in granite ashlars upon a double plinth, incomplete attic above a beveled edge. The southdoor, which is in use, has two columns, one octagonal with cubic caspitals and bases. Upon one corbel is a primitive lion-relief and upon the base of the opposite column is a figure and a male head . The north door is bricked-up. In the north wall of the nave is a round-arched window, bricked up in the wall run - and in the Koldinghus Museum is a window lintel with a warrior, carrying a shield and a sword. An ashlar with a male head is inserted in a stone bench in the porch. The choir and nave have flat-plastered ceilings, the choir has a simple stuccato decoration. In the late Gothic period the heavy tower was built, which crossvaulted bottom room opens towards the nave in a round tower arch. It has on the north side a bricked-up flatcurved opening from free stairs to the middle storey. The upper section with stepped gables, east-west, is very re-bricked (like in 1863 and 1868) when the other part of the building got its cornices, and in 1950. The porch is also a late Gothic addition in yellow monk bricks. The stepped gable has a glare decoration with six round-arched high-glares flanked by circular glares and above some beveled brick-shifts. The porch has tiled roofs like the choir, nave and tower. In 1581 jomfru Berete Rosenkramtz let the strange, almost circular burial chapel build east of the choir. It is built in red monk bricks upon a beveled edge plinth in granite ashlars and has a high cone roof with lead thatching. The room is inside with a cross vault. Upon the east side are two square stones with Berete Rosenkrantz' paternal and maternal coat of arms. The chapel is now furnished as a priest room (source 1964), but earlier while it was a burial chapel, it was divided from the choir by a wrought iron gate from 1758.

Taulov church, Google earth.

The communion table is covered in a marble-painted panel from ab. 1590. The altarpiece is a carved work in bruskbarok (cartilage Baroque) from 1683, now completely cleansed. In a niche in the main field is inserted a plaster copy of Thorvaldsen's Christ-figure. Heavy baluster-shaped candelabres, given 1636 by Hans Jensen in Holum. Large, well-carved choir-arch crucifix from the beginning of the 1500s. A Romanesque granite font with arcade-decorations upon the basin. Very worn south German dish, ab, 1575. A pulpit from the same time and by the same craftsman as the altarpiece with Evangelist figures after Thorvaldsen. It was repaired 1889. A fourmaster ship from present time "Queen Margaret". Bell 1876 P. Meilstrup. The older bell was by Clavs v. Dam 1643.
Epitaph for F.C. Bredahl, Søholm, put up 1729. Gravestone 1581 for Sidsel Rosenkrantz ( +1557),and jomfru Berete Rosenkrantz, a figure stone with widow and jomfru. A stone for the first Lutheranian priest in the parish, Bertil Iversen was in 1914 given to the Thaulow Museum at Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo.

Søholm belonged to Ribe bishopric, but came during the reformation to the Crown, in 1547 it was endowed to Else Thott, widow after Claus Krummedige. After her death in 1550 S. was laid under Koldinghus and was inhabited before 1577 by herredsfoged Claus Hønborg, whose wife 1588 who was instructed to keep order in the king's chamber and see to that he got the supplies he was used to.  In 1662 the farm was desolate, in 1766 the Crown sold S. to Iver Hansen.  

Hønborg (1369 Hønæborigh,1429 Hønburgh) was earlier a royal castle. Known vasals were: Peder Iversen Lykke 1369; Gotschalck? Skarpenberg 1377; hr Folmer Mortensen (Gyrstinge) 1445; Peder Brockenhuus 1487; hr. Claus Krummedige 1493; hr Thomas Nielsen (Lange) m. to the previous' widow, 1504 and 1520, his stepson hr Erik Krummedige (+ 1541) and his widow Sidsel Rosenkrantz (+ 1557), whereafter the estate was withdrawn and laid under Koldinghus vasalry. It was from Hønborg Christian II - after having  received the aristocracy's resignation Letter - let himself ferry to Middeelfart several times. The castle was destroyed by the peasant during the grevefejden (civil war) and again during the Thirty Year's War by Wallenstein's troups.

Skærbæk Marina and Skærbækværket(background)

Skærbækværket was built 1946-50. Via Elsam it cooperates with 5 other værker in Jutland and Fyn and with Germany and Sweden.

In 1629 Chr IV had plans about moving to Kolding town and castle.

Northwest of Skærbæk village was a sacred spring Korskilde or Rands kilde.   

At Gudsø were battles in 1849 when the Danes after an energetic fight against a superior enemy withdrew to Fredericia.

At Taulov station was in 1946 raised a memorial for 3 freedom fighters: E. Månsson, K.G.Kolding and H. Jacobsen, executed by the Germans in 1945. In Skærbæk was in 1955 raised a memorial for 3 drowned fishermen.

The old timbered vicarage in Taulov from 1840 was broken down in 1963, the stable- building was rebuilt at the Open Air Museum, Sorgenfri. (Zealand)

Towards Lillebælt upon a meadowland lies between high banks the significant medieval Hakenør Voldsted  (Hønborg slot), an almost square castle bank with round corners and steep banks. The castle bank was surrounded by a ring moat with an outer dam. Both sections are very leveled,  probably with earth from the bank, which sides seem cut off. The top surface was cultivated even in the 20th century. Upon the castle bank are brick pieces, also upon the landtongue stretching out towards the bank are brick pieces. Here was probably a building in addition to the castle itself. Upon the Koldinghus Museum and the National Museum are kept several pieces findings from the castle bank.

At Hønborg castle bank were in 1858-1910 found 81 spread coins, earliest from Erik Klipping; most of the coins from Erik of Pommern's time.

Taulov, landscape, Google earth.

The village Taulov Nebel (1569 Tavlo Nøbel) grew together with Taulow Stationsby, and the name is not used anymore.

Listed prehistorics: four hills, two in Tårup skov, one hill west of Tårup ir rather big but pre-digged.

Demolhsed or Destroyed: 67 hills,of which most in the southern half of the parish, In 1638 is mentioned a stone-encircled giant grave in Børup skov.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Taulov (1330 Taflygh, 1396 Tafloghe); Skærbæk (1436 Skerbek); Tårup (1479 Torduph, 1532 Tordop); Børup (1502 Børup); Studsdal (1664 Studtzdall); Oddersted (1578 Odersted); Børup Sande (1590 Børup Sand); Gudsø (1524 Gutzwiig); Søholm (1524 Sioholm).



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

As church / As kirke and Palsgård, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

The whitewashed, tiled church, which lies upon a hillside close to the waters of Kattegat, has a Romanesque  choir and nave, radically rebuilt ab. 1300, a late Gothic western addition, a west tower and a porch to the south.  The original parts of the building are in rough granite stone with corner ashlars and without a visible plinth. Only small details are visible from the original walls, like in the bottom of the south side of the choir, a part of the east side of the choir and the north side of the nave, where the bricked up door  is traceable and two round arched windows are bricked up. In ab. 1300 was a large part of the walls renewed or even face walled with red monk bricks.  In the middle of the 1400s was in the choir built one and in the nave three cross vaults in East Jutland type upon protruding piers, and the choir arch was remade; later was the nave extended to the west with an eight ribbed cross vault, and in the latest decades of the Middle Ages were added a narrow tower and a cross vaulted porch. The look of the building is highly marked by a restoration in the end of the 1700s. The building was restored in 1904 and in 1959.                               

As church vicarage

In 1904 were found fragmentaric frescoes from 1515, among others an illustration of the fable about the fox and the stork, and the coat of arms of bishop Jens Iversen Lange. The inventory is mostly from 1904-05, since most of the old inventory was removed - some of it is in Horsens Museum. The new inventory is in a flashy, neo Gothic style , made in polished oak and designed by Hector Estrup. The altar piece is a crucifixion-painting, a copy from a Spanish baroque-painter. Chalice from 1758 with the coat of arms of Bille and Arenfeldt. Small, late Gothic candelabres. A small crucifix from the middle of the 1600s. The font, the pulpit, the pews and the manor-stools are all from 1904-05. The old pulpit was a good Rococo work by Jens Jensen, while the altar piece and a gallery were made by Jens Hiernøe. A new model of curch ship, a five master bark. A bell from 1510, cast by Johannes Pauli.

Palsgård is said to belong to hr. Jacob Kalf in the 1400s; his son Axel Knob (Kalf) let build a house in 1412 according to an inscription stone, which still existed in 1806. Its later owner-history is very complicated, caused by several  inherited services. Hr. Ludvig Nielsen (Rosenkrantz) is written to P. in 1461 and 1482; his sons Niels and Claus and more than 10 grandchildren from the families Skeel, Gyldenstierne, Juel and Munk (Lange-Munk) owned parts in the estate, while other parts belonged to members of the families Galt, Munk (Vinranke-Munk), Pax and more.  A descendant of hr. Ludvig Nielsen was Ingeborg Arenfeldt ( + 1658), whose husband Ernst Normand of Selsø (+ 1645) collected the estate. The daughter Kirsten Normand brought in 1658 P. to her husband Joachim Fr. Pentz of Åstrup, who became ruined during the Swedish wars, whereafter the kansler Peter Reedtz in 1665 became the owner. After his death in 1674 was P. inherited by his son Holger Reedtz (+ 1707), his widow baroness Berte Christine Juel (+ 1732) and son Niels Juel Reedtz (+ 1742), his widow Mette Johanne Arenfeldt (+ 1762, who was m. second time to Henrik Bille of Holbækgård) and son Holger Reedtz (+ 1803), who in 1795 sold P. to his son Niels Juel Reedtz (+ 1830). From him  came P. to his son Holger Chr. Reedtz (+ 1857), who established an observatorie at the farm. His heirs sold in 1877 P. to prins Emil R.O. Schoenaich-Carolath. He sold it 1898 to baron Frederik (Fritz) Wedel-Jarlsberg, whose widow fru Elisabeth Schou (later married Falbe-Hansen) owned it until her death in 1952; the heirs Herbert Schou and fru Gertrud Andersen let it be transferred to a family-company Schou-Palsgård.  












The white main-building is placed upon a square castle bank above  steep dry moats. The water from As Vig reached close to the farm in the end of the 1900s. The three-winged building is listed in class B.

The farm buildings are built in various periods, they are partly half timbered and partly in boulder. In connection to these were built the factory Credin.

The park is one of the largest in the country and one of the best well-kept. Foreign secretary Holger Reedtz was an avid botanist and introduced many rare trees and growths, and baron Wedel-Jarlsberg laid out large areas for lawns and created a grand entrance from the west.

Foreign secretary Holger Reedtz established in 1843-44 an astronimical observatorie in a small building in front of the main bulding,  and he built in 1853 a costy equipped observatorie in boulder. The observatorie has later been rebuilt into a temple-like pavillon with  fluted columns.

A memorial obelisk was raised for the family Reedtz in 1866.    

Northeast of Palsgård at the beach is a medieval castle bank with two banks, of which the eastern is the smallest, a square bank ,while the western is larger and rectangular . Both banks were once surrounded by water. The western bank is connected with land on the south side. A damn prevents the water from streaming out into the beach. The moats are kept water-filled from the higher placed fields. Upon the banks have been found monk bricks with traces of fire and lumps of melted iron. It seems that the buildings were destroyed by fire.  

Listed prehistorics: At Ringstholm a circular dolmen with a square chamber with a large cover stone, and a hill close to the church.
Destroyed or demolished: two hills, Ashøj which Pont. Atlas mentions as grave hill of king As, is a natural grovel hill. 

From Ringstholm is known a shell heap from early Stone Age. From the farm Holgershåb is known an important settlement from early Roman Iron Age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964. 


photo 2004 and 2011.grethe bachmann (addition of photos from 2004 in November 2012)