Vester church/ Vester kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt.

Vester church, photo gb

Vester church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a tower to the west from 1917. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars and raw boulders upon a beveled-edge plinth - and from original details is the north door, which is out-bricked with a modern window and a plastered lintel, while the south door, which was bricked-up in 1917, is vaguely visible. The north side has kept its low, rather highly placed round-arched windows, one upon the choir, two upon the nave,while the east window of the choir is  bricked-up in the lighting. The round choir arch stands inside with simple framestone, and both nave and choir have beamed ceilings. In 1913 was at the west end of the building built a small tower with glare-decorated walls and a pyramid roof. The bottom room functions as a front hall,  and a porch at the southside of the nave was removed. The church is whitewashed on the south and east side, upon the north side only the upper third of the walls is whitewashed. The church has a modern tiled roof.


Interior: The altarpiece is a painting from ab. 1915 by J.Skovgaard. A chalice from ab. 1850 with stamp: Lind (Horsens). An oval wafer box, made by J.R. Hofgrefe, Vejle. Balustershaped ore candelabres. ab. 1625. Very little, well carved late Gothic choir arch crucifix. A Romanesque granite font, a rather primitive work with vaguely sketched sepals and double rope sticks upon the basin. The foot is shaped like a cubic capital. A south German dish ab. 1550-75. A pulpit in Art Noveau was ab. 1915 given by Niels Jensen and wife, Højby. The earlier pulpit, a simple joinery from the beginning of the 1800s, lies upon the attic. ( 1964) Bell 1833, I.C and H.Gamst.

Rørbæk Hovedgaard, 2009,

photo: gb.

Rørbæk Per Marqvardsen in Rørbæk is mentioned 1487 and 1490, but he was probably not nobility; in 1542 and 1549 R. belonged to Hans Johansen (Lindenov) of Fovslet (+ 1568), in 1561 to his brother  Anders Hansen (Lindenov)( + 1562) and thereafter to A.H.'s daughter Else Lindenov (+ 1613), m. to Absalon Gøye  (+ 1602); her heirs took in common over her estate, but wanted an exchange in 1621; latest from 1630 the farm belonged to Erik Bille of Kærsgård , after whose death 1641 there was a feud about the inheritance.  In 1642 R. belonged to Levin Bülow (+ childless 1657), then to Mogens Høegh (Banner)( + 1659), whereafter it was inherited by Valdemar Skram of Todbøl and Otte Krafse of Egholm. The last mentioned's half came before 1662 to Steffen Rohde's heirs, who in 1667 outbought Valdemar Skram. In 1713 R. was on an auction after Franz Rohde (+ same year) sold to lieutenant Sejer Sejersen  (+ 1715), from whom it came to his brother captain-lieutenant Johan Jakob Sejer (+ 1727) .
Later owners: Peder Simonsen Schiønning, N. Karstoft, Jens Jørgen Bredal of Hammergård, Jean de Trappaud, Arnt Peter Engwari at Havhus, Johan Jakob Sejer, Christen Christensen in Egholm Mill, Søren and Anders Holst, Nikolaj C. Sveistrup, N.A.J. Thyregod, Inger Eriksdatter , J.N. Thyregod, Jakob Helms, Jens Nielsen, Den jyske kreditforening, Iver Hansen Nielsen, Niels Jensen. J. Jensen, H. Ørnsholt Jensen ( in 1964).

Rørbæk Hovedgaard at present: 
Niels Jensen and his descendants are those who have owned Rørbæk for the longest period, from 1902-1991, almost 100 years. In 1991 Niels Jensens descendants sold the farm to Aage V. Jensens Fond, who in 2002 sold Rørbæk Hovedgaard to the family Olesen.

Risager was in 1542 owned by Birgitte Rostrup, in 1574 by her brother's son Hans Rostrup, in 1589 by Bertel Holck of Højgård, in 1606 probably by Karen Viffert, widow after Timme Rosenkrantz of Rydhave. In 1633 Abel Bryske sold it to Christoffer Gersdorff. In 1662 it was owned by Karen Dyre of Knivholt, who in 1666 deeded it with mill and some estate to her son-in-law Jochum Nordmand of Dubnitz, whose wife Birgitte Arenfeldt still in 1677 is mentioned of R., although it in 1675 by Claus Dyre of Sindinggård was deeded to Anders Rohde of Bajlumgård; in 1714 Albert Sejer's widow died at R. and in 1716 Johan Jakob Sejer of Rørbæk lived here; in 1773 R. was a peasant-farm under Rørbæk.

Rørbæk sø 2009, photo: gb

In the lake of Rørbæk sø, Kulsø and Nedersø is a good stock of pike and bream. At Rørbæk sø is a put and take.

Castle bank ? Upon a leveled eastern end of a bank, originally surrounded by water near the southside of Rørbæk sø, a little northeast of Rørbæk, the farm's earlier place is pointed out. Here is seen a cellar room of raw granite boulder , ab. 13 x 5 m. On this place and upon the small plateau on the nearby land are seen brick pieces. A plank bridge, from which poles were removed in the 1920s, led across the now dried part of the lake to the solid land,  where also were brick pieces upon a small plateau.

By Rørbæk was a farm Stovgård (1543 Stofvegaard).   

Listed prehistorics: 18 hills, of which Kongenshøj at Vesterlund is large, but somewhat digged.
Demolished or destroyed: 74 hills. 

At Vester mølle (mill) is a settlement from Gudenåkulturen.

Names from the Middle Ages  and 1600s: Vester Kirke (1291 Wæstærth); Vesterlund (1419 Vester Lundt); Lindet (1461 Lindued); Skovsbøl (1456 Skousbøll); Risager (1291 Wæstær Risæ, 1638 Risagger); Rørbæk (1471 Rørbech, 1487 Rørbæk); Vester Mølle (1664 Vester Mølle)

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Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.
photo 2009: grethe bachmann

Harte church/ Harte kirke, Brusk herred, Vejle amt.

Harte church, wikipedia.

Harte church is highplaced west of Harte village. It has a Romanesque choir and nave in granite ashlars upon a double plinth, the western tower is from the late Middle Ages, and the porch to the south is late medieval in its origin. The choir has had an apse, which curved ashlars are seen in the present eastern gable. The south door with columns and cross-marked tympanum  is still in use. From the original Romanesque windows are three at the north side, one in the choir, two in the nave, all bricked up. The choir got a cross vault in the late Middle Ages (the nave has still a beamed ceiling), and a tower was built in front of the western gable.The tower is said to earlier be higher. The vaulted bottom room opens in a flatcurved arcade towards the nave. The walls of the tower were originally in monk bricks, but it has several times been re-walled with small bricks.In the weather vane are the years 1758, 1777 and 1875, referring to such wall-repairs. The porch, originally late medieval, is built in monk bricks and re-used granite ashlars, in the re-walled gable is the year 1899.

Harte church, Google earth.

The choir arch is extended inside, the communion table is wood with a fully covered front panel. The altarpiese is a Renaissance-carving, three-piece by Corinthic columns with decoration belts and sidewings, both in the main field and the top piece; in the top piece is carved the year 1618 and the coat of arms of the family Juel and Abildgaard. The altarpiece was probably given by Eggert Abildgaard of Skodborg (+ 1622). In the main piece is a newer painting by Hans Agersnap 1905. Upon the communion table stand two driven brass candelabres from 1676 with the initials G.G. and  a  Grubbe- coat of arms. A Romanesque granite font with arcade motifs upon the bassin. A small Gothic crucifix above the choir arch. The pulpit with Baroque corner columns is according to a painted inscription upon the contemporary sounding board put up in 1674 and decorated in 1679, paid by the church. The pews are newer from the late 1800s. In the porch is inserted two big worn gravestones from ab. 1700. An impressive portrait stone for Poul Abildgaard of Vranderupgård (+ 1563) has disappeared. A burial chapel, which was furnished in 1753 in the tower room for gehejmeråd van der Lieth of Vranderupgård, (+ 1777) and his famliy, was abandoned 1844 during a restoration of the church. In the tower hangs a late medieval bell without inscription, but with a coin-imprint from the 1400s.

landscape, Harte, Google earth

Brødsgård belonged in 1478 and 1494 to the væbner Lage Snub, in1508 and 1509 to his son Knud Snub, in 1579 it was exchanged to the Crown by Anne Skram.

In 1496 is mentioned Stallerup gårdsted (farm-place) and voldsted (castle-bank) , which lay in the lake and belonged to Anne Timmesdatter (Rosenkrantz), in 1514 she sold Stallerupgård to hr. Niels Eriksen (Rosenkrantz) of Bjørnholm, whose son hr Oluf Rosenkrantz in  1529 sold it to Mogens Gøye, in 1578 it belonged to Mette Oxe, but in 1610 it was under Koldinghus (castle).

No prehistorics.

Along Kolding å (river) and Stallerup are known several settlements from Gudenåkulturen,  and there are in the parish several Iron age-settlements and - burial sites.

 Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:  Harte (1231 Harthwet, 1325 Hartæ); Påby (1524 Paaby); Ejstrup (1452 Eystrop); Stubdrup (1455 Stwbdrvp); Rådvad (1524 radevadh); Stallerupgårde (1473 Staldorppe); Brødsgård (1468 Brødisgard); Lynggård (1664 Liunggaard).


Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt 1964. 

photo: wikipedia and Google earth.

Vester Nebel church/ Vester Nebel kirke, Brusk herred , Vejle amt.

Vester Nebel, ab. 8 km northwest of Kolding

Vester Nebel kirke
The whitewashed tiled church in Vester Nebel has a choir with a flat altar wall, a nave, a tower to the west and a porch at the north side. The Romanesque cernel: the choir and the nave, are mostly built in raw granite boulder upon a carved  bevelled plinth. The rests of a Romanesque window, found in the church yard, has now been inserted in the porch. The south door is bricked-up,but all traces seem now to have disappeared, while the north door is still in function, but remade. In the late Middle Ages the church got a tower in monk bricks with a vaulted bottom room, which opens to the nave in a point arched arcade. In the middle of the north side of the tower is a round arched door opening, earlier accessible by a ladder, and further entrance to the bell storey. In a restoration in 1945 the tower was face-walled in two sides. At the same time a porch was built in front of the north door. From here is access to the church loft and the bell in the tower. In the same restoration the old beamed ceilings of the choir and the nave were brought to light, like the preserved Romanesque granite choir arch  had its old plaster layer removed.

The altarpiece upon a wooden communion table is a painting by P.Møller, 1889. The old altarpiece, which in 1900-1938 was kept at Koldinghus Museum, hangs now upon the south wall (in 1964). It is a Lutheranian  triptychon from ab. 1570 with framework in leaf-decoration in Italian Renaissance. In the middle field and the wings are newer paintings, probably from ab. 1840, while the outside of the wings have original paintings. A Romanesque granite font with a high, smooth basin, a rope decoration around the edge and a low foot. The pulpit has a new-bricked entrance and foot piece in a late Gothic form, high, narrow and prism shaped with carvings and gilt Gothic work in the fields and narrow corner balustres in Italian Renaissance from ab. 1560-70. Newer pews from the end of the 1800s. In the tower room a new organ, A Zachariassen, 1946. Three chandeliers in the nave from 1862. The tower bell is from 1946, Jydsk Jernstøberi, Brønderslev.


Elkærholm
earlier Vester Nebel's Mill, was bought in 1794 by H.A.Wulff (+ 1850).
In 1964 owner M. Frederiksen.
The main building lies in Vester Nebel river valley. It was  was built in 1804 by H.A. Wulff

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish but there were 6 hills.

From Dons Søndersø (a lake) are known settlements from the Gudenåkultur.
Southwest of Vester Nebel were found 6 guldbrakteater (Roman coins)  and some glass pearls.

Names from the Middle Ages: Vester Nebel (1231 Nybøl).


Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.   

photo. Google Earth 2013.

Gullev church, Gullev kirke, Houlbjerg herred, Viborg amt.

Gullev church, ab. 20 km southeast of Viborg.

Gullev parish, Houlbjerg herred, Viborg amt.

Gullev church has apse, choir and nave from the Romanesque period and a late Gothic porch to the south. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth.the apse has a little blurred profiled cornice. Both original doors are kept, the south door, which is still in use, has a tynpanum with a carved figure of the crucified Christ, wearing a long robe. The bricked-up northdoor has kragsten and rundbuestik  (halfcircular band-decoration). Upon the north side of the nave and the choir are kept Romanesque windows with monolite-lintels, while the windows of the apse are partly re-newed. At the reformation period a porch in monk bricks with a round arched door was built in front of the south door -  a point arched "mirror" of the porch continues up into the roof gable, where it is flanked by two point arched glares. The inside of the church has a beamed ceiling, also the apse, where the original vault was taken down, while the choir arch with profiled kragbånd is kept. Above the western section of the nave was in 1769 built a beamed  ridge turret with pyramid spire.

The Romanesque communion table is in granite ashlars, and the elegant altarpiece is in late Baroque with Rococo-tendencies, made by Mathias Ulrichsen Sartz. The later made wings were acc. to tradition made by a village artist, Søren Mikkelsen. The painting in the large field is from the 1800s. Slender candlesticks from the Renaissance-period. A Romanesque granite font with double lions. A pulpit by the same master as the altarpiece and with a sounding board by the before mentioned village artist. In the porch two gravestones with figures, one from 1653 for Christen Christensen in Bøgeskov, the other probably for his son.



















Ove Jensen of Gullev is mentioned in 1329.

Else Mikkelsdatter Due of Torp, widow after Anders Munk (Bjælke-Munk) gave in 1505 Enggård in Gullev to Helligåndshuset in Randers, which prior in 1508 took guardian ship of the farm. It was by law given to Niels Lunov of Rugård, whose father Jesper Lunov (probably + 1498) had bought it from fru Karine Hinds (mentioned in 1479). In 1586 Niels Lunov's son Christoffer Lunov litigated about the farm.

There were  two sacred springs in the parish, Sct Hans kilde in the southeastern corner of the church yard, and a spring in Gullev hedebakker (heather hills).


Humstrup (1683 Humstrup (s) Fald) a name of a field in Gullev, must originally have been the name of a settlement. A farm in Gullev, named Gullevskov (1396 Gudløffskoff) was deeded by the "sisters" (nuns) Maren Christensdatter and Kirsten Olufsdatter of Tvilum kloster shortly before 1400.

Listed prehistorics: Kettinghøj in the parish border towards Sahl.
Demolished or destroyed: a longhill and 40 hills, in a hill at Gullev was found a house urn.

Along Gudenå river are several settlements from the Gudenå culture. In Flaskemosen (a moor) was found a depot from late Stone Age with 6 axes and 2 chisels. A decorated bronze axe was found at Bøgeskov and a bronze sword in Gudenå river.

Names from the Middle Ages: Gullev (1329 Gutteløff, 1355 Gutheslef); Bøgeskov (1415 Bøgeskouff); Nøddelund (1415 Nødelund).  

GB

    
Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962. 

photo: borrowed from Google Earth, gb

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

The church in Klovborg has an undivided longhouse with apse to the east, tower to the west and porch to the south. The western part of the longhouse is the nave from a Romanesque church, built in granite ashlars upon a plinth with a bevel edge. A window to the south and two to the north are bricked. The south door is outside, the north door is bricked and partly destroyed by a newer window.  The western tower was added in the late Middle Ages, it is built in granite ashlars and monk bricks, its vaulted bottom room is connected in a large round arch to the nave, in which are built three bays octagonal rib vaults. In a later rebuild the tower was made lower. In 1591 rigsråd Erik Hardenberg (+ 1604) let the Romanesque choir break down, after which the nave  - where were used old ashlars - was extended towards east, where it was finished in a half round apse in monk bricks. Inserted in the apse wall is a table with Erik Hardenberg's and fru Anne Rønnow's coat of arms in relief. The apse inside has a half cupola vault (half dome), while the eastern extension later has got a plastered barrel vault in planks. From a later period is the porch, built in small bricks and with a plastered wooden barrel vault.The church is partly white-washed (tower, apse and porch) and the roofs are tiled (apse has a leaden roof).   

A new oak communion table (1952) with carved and gilt biblical motifs, made by the sculptor Aksel Theilmann. A three-part altarpiece with biblical paintings by Eileen Hoffman-Bang 1945. The chalice is given in 1706 by Thyge Jespersen and Anne Mikkelsdatter. Altar candelabres from 1936, a pair of candlesticks from 1574 with the initials and coat of arms of Erik Hardenberg and Anne Rønnow were retained at Mattrup (manor) for a long time. A Romanesque granite font with a rope winding under the edge. A baptismal dish in Nürnberg-type (ab. 1550-1600). A brickwork-pulpit, probably from the rebuild of the church in 1591. The pulpit is carried by a bricked pillar and a limestone-plate; it once had frescoe-painted decorations from the Baroque-period, but it was in 1961 decorated with new frescoe-paintings by Ingolf Røjbæk. The gables of the pews are from 1591, the upper pews have the coat of arms of Erik Hardenberg and Anne Rønnow. To the west is a organ gallery. A bell from 1591 with the coat of arms of Erik Hardenberg and Anne Rønnow. 

At the northern wall of the choir is a large epitaph in limestone with portrait figures (5 adults and 4 children) for rigshofmester Ejler Hardenberg (+ 1565), his sons Stygge, Korfits and Erik (with Erik's wife Anne Rønnow and three daughters Karine, Rigborg and Berete) and daughter Kirstine. At the southern wall an epitaph in various marble-colours made by Johs. Wiedewelt for justitsråd Emanuel Thygesen of Mattrup (+ 1764) and with a portrait bust. Under the choir a bricked burial vault with 37 coffins with the families Hardenberg and Thygesen (Thygeson).

Mattrup å river

Tranholm with more than 30 farms was sold to queen Margrethe I in ab. 1406 by rigsråd Johan Skarpenberg. The castle was broken down, and from the estate was established T. vasalry, which Svend Torbernsen (Udsen) in 1467 had from the Crown as a pawn. The pawn was released in 1490 by Erik Stygge (Rosenkrantz), who owned it until his death in 1535, whereafter it went to hr. Ejler Hardenberg (+ 1565) and his son Erik Hardenberg, who in 1573 by exchange with the Crown became the owner of T., which after this followed Mattrup, and from 1670 Væbnersholm (Våbensholm), and in 1688 came to the Crown. The Crown conveyed T. in 1695 to Tyge Jespersen of Mattrup, again in 1721 to Christian Fischer of Allinggård, later of Mattrup.

Peder Mikkelsen sold Flåris to Mikkel Nielsen (Tornekrans);  who in 1455 conveyed it to Christian Jensen. He could in 1462 buy a brotherpart in F. from Terkel Jensen. In 1504 Niels Christensen conveyed a brotherpart to Peder Jensen. In 1560 the Crown exchanged F. to Ejler Hardenberg, and the farm shared fate with above mentioned Tranholm. In 1836 F. was transferred to private ownership.

At Nørskovgård lived Anne Cathrine Ahlefeldt (widow after Corfitz Ulfeld of Mattrup) and her daughters in extreme poverty; Margrethe Ulfeld died in 1713, Anna Margrethe Ulfeld in 1734. At Sønderskovgård lived in 1737 Cecilie Elisabeth Scharffenberg, widow after an oberstløjtnant Zeuerkelles.

Stigsholm lake with islet

Tranholm was placed upon a bank, earlier surrounded by water-filled moats, at Mattrup å. (river) Monk bricks have been found at the bank. Until 1906 was here a farm Tranholmgård, which foundations are still visible.
Upon the small flat islet in Stigsholm sø (lake) was according to legend a castle. There are no immediate . traces.

Skade is mentioned already in 1497 as a vicarage. Skade kirke is probably the same as Klovborg kirke, it is mentioned in 1492.  

In the parish was the farm Ælsgård (1504 Ælsgardh).

Listed prehistorics: 13 hills, one: Storhøj, is in a group of 3 at Rishedegård, it is rather large. In Tranholm plantation lies a group of 4 hills.
Demolished or destroyed:  74 hills.

In Bavnehøj were found two gilt bronze pieces from late Iron Age.

Settlements from Gudenåkulturen are known from Stigsholm and Halle søer (lakes). In Vejle mose (moor) were found a couple of bronze necklaces from late Bronze Age, a couple alike, but thinner, were found at Dalsgård, at Skade were found some early Roman period claypot burials and at Velgårde a burial site from early and late Roman Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: 
Klovborg (1. half of 1400s Kloburgh, 1453 Klabwrgh); Gribstrup (1. half of 1400s Grybstorp, 1455 Gripstropp);  Skade (1. half of 1400s Skadet); Nørskov (1576 Nørskof); Flåris (1455 Floriis); Dalsgårde (1688 Dalsgaard); Tranholm (1. half of 1400s Traneholm gardh, 1455 Tranholm); Velgårde (1573 Velgaard); Tirsvad (1. half of 1400s Tiiswath); Malund (1455 Madelund, 1458 Lille Matheklund, Store Madelund).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.   


photo 2002: grethe bachmann

     

Dover church/ Dover kirke, Hjelmslev herred, Skanderborg amt.

The church in Dover is a large free-standing building, which possibly was a  herredskirke, (district church). It has a Romanesque choir and nave with a western tower and a porch from the Middle Ages to the south. The Romanesque sections are characterized by being built in hardpan ashlars (Danish: jernal),  a material, which appears here and there in the wallwork of Jutland churches, but it was only in exceptional cases used as a main building material in the churches. In the white-washed walls are seen no original details, and because of the uplift of the terrain around the church the plinth is not visible. The eastern gable of the choir was re-walled in 1863 and equipped with glares and a stepped gable. The unusually long nave is possibly built in two stages. The south door seems to have been flatly uncovered, but it is now round-arched. In the late Gothic period one bay crossvault was built in the choir and four bays in the nave with halfstone ribs. The church has now large round-arched windows to the south, but there are no openings in the other walls. The narrow tower in monk bricks and granite boulder and with stepped gables to the north and south, was originally open to the west under a high pointed arch (stilt); the arch is now bricked-up, and the tower is  a storehouse. The simple porch is in monk bricks. New supporting pillars on choir, nave and tower.

A 1600s communion-table panel. The altarpiece is a copy after A. Dorph's painting Christ with Martha and Maria, made in 1878 by teacher Niels Jensen in Boes. In the frame are two pillars and diverse details from a Renaissance altarpiece; in the top piece are pietistic symbols from the 1700s. In the nave hangs a resurrection-painting upon canvas, which was earlier in the large field of the altarpiece. Altar chalice from 1889. Large ore candelabres, according to inscription given on Christmas Evening 1592 by Niels Jacobssen in Nygård, who was a castle-scribe at Skanderborg castle, and wife Margrete Christoffersdatter (Udsøn). In the south wall of the choir is immured a cupboard, which might be Gothic in its oldest sections. Upon the north wall hangs a small Gothic thurible. A large Romanesque granite font with double lions in a pretty relief. A baptismal dish, a Netherland work from ab. 1600 with relief. A pulpit in Renaissance from 1594 with naive Evangelist-reliefs and a crucifixion-scene. A contemporary sounding board. The decorations of the pulpit from 1643 was brought to light in the restoration in 1939. A parish clerk stool and pews from the 1700s. Organ upon a western gallery, which has paintings with Christ and the apostles, made by above mentioned Niels Jensen in 1888. A series pastorum  below the gallery. The bell is cast in 1747 from an earlier bell from 1507 (Jacob Rendler in Århus). In the choir a pretty, small sandstone epitaph for the priest Anders Michelsøn  (+ 1596) and wife, with sa secundary inscription for the priest Niels Andersøn (+ 16...), with two wives and several children. At the tower stands a large figure gravestone for above mentioned Niels Jacobssen and wife and a worn-out gravestone from the 1600s with Evangelist-medaillons in the corners. A large, dominating burial chapel at the entrance of the church yard.

In Illerup and Boes were churches in the Middle Ages. Illerup (Egeltorp) is also mentioned as a parish in 1317. The church was still in use in 1524, but was abandoned before 1552, and Illerup is mentioned the last time as a parish in 1573. The same year Illerup is mentioned in Dover parish. There was no trace of the church already in 1623, but upon Kirkebakken to the south of Illerup, west of the road to Skanderborg, were found skeletons, and in an examination in 1946 also pieces from medieval tile stones (Skanderborg museum). - The church or chapel in Boes is first time mentioned in written sources in a priest report in 1623, where "the old church yard" is mentioned, which could still be seen in the terrain. The church was possibly situated upon the hillside in the western outskirts of the village, where were found rests of skeletons and brickwork.















Niels Jonsen (Munk) got in 1343 a life's letter on Nygård from Øm kloster. After the reformation it was under Skanderborg castle, later under Skanderborg rytterdistrikt; it was inhabited by the jægermester ( chief hunter) in Nørrejylland Rehnert Gallichen de la Roche, who died here in 1712. In 1767 it was bought by Oluf Mandix of Bisgård in Tamdrup parish. He conveyed it together with other estate to Just Rasmussen in Vrold in 1775, but the next year the parish priest H.P.Lund sold it to ridefoged (bailiff) at Silkeborg Jens Grønbech, and after this it was split up in several farms.

At Dover was a sacred spring Hjelmslev kilde mentioned in 1623, at Ravnsø Karlskilden or Karlekilden.

Listed prehistorics: 32 hills, of which several are rather large: Vejhøj and Illeruphøj at Bjedstrup, Frederikshøj, which together with two other hills lie upon a hill at Karenslund, Maglehøj, Toskæphøj, Tippethøj and the two Alkenhøje around Siim. In Hemstok skov lies a close group of 7 lesser hills.

Demolished or destroyed: a polygonal dolmen chamber south of Bjedstrup and 132 hills, especially many hills were in a belt which from  Illerup went through the eastern part of the parish to Hemstok and Nygårde, another big hillgroup stretched from Svejstrup to the northwest to Siim.

Settlements from the Gudenåkultur are known from Rye Møllesø, Siimholm and Birksø. From Svejstrup Damgård origins a settlement and an iron extraction place from Celtic Iron Age. From the same time are possibly also a number of skeletons and a wooden shield, which were found at Vædebro near Illerup Å's outlet in Mossø. A rich settlement from early Roman Iron Age is known from Moselund in Siim.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Dover kirke (1239 Dauer sogen, 1266 ecclesiam Dofræ); Bjedstrup (1554 Biestrup; (Illerup (1317 Egeltorp, 1554 Illerup); Siim (1338 Seen, 1575 Sim); Boes (1554 Buoes); Firgårde (1758 Firegaarde); Nygårde (1343 Nygaa(r)dt); Hemstok (1554 Hemstock); Brandstrupgård (1578 Brendstrup Hede, 1664 Brandstrup Schouff ,1683 Branstrup).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964. 

photo 2007/2008: grethe bachmann

Stubberkloster and Sevel church / Sevel kirke, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Stubberkloster, in 1274 monasterium Stubbethorp, was a nunnery, possibly of the Benedictine order, consecrated to Virgin Mary. It was built upon a land tongue in the western part of Stubbergård lake. It was mentioned for the first time in 1268 in a will. In 1274 the earlier marsk Jens Kalf of Vinderupgård was conveyed with Stubberkloster by fru Lucie,  if he would supply the kloster and some neighbour-churches with bread and wine. In the middle of the 1400s the kloster got a farm, Grundvadsgård in Ramsing parish, from the knight Lyder Kabel. In 1504 the kloster pawned Savstrup farm and mill to Niels Clementsen. The kloster owned Haderup and Trandum churches and probably also Sevel, Sahl and a few others. Known prioresses were Christina Palsdatter in 1457 and 1459, and Else Munk and Elsebe Ryttersdatter in 1547.The prior managed the estate and the support of the nuns, and he was usually a secular nobleman. But there is not much information left about the history of the kloster.

During the reformation period Stubberkloster was plundered three times, and in 1532 a citizen of Holstebro took Stubberkloster from master Christen Hvid and drove him out. In 1536 it was taken over by the Crown, and in the same year Mogens Kaas of Stubberkloster is mentioned, but in 1538 it was endowed to magister Iver Kjeldsen Juel. He was obliged to support the 12 nuns still living there. He bought the kloster in 1547 with added property (ab. 150 farms and small farms) from the Crown and established a main farm in the name Stubbergård. After his death S. went to his widow Mette Munk (+ 1589) and the children Maren Juel (+ 1624) and Kjeld Juel ( + 1606), whose widow Christence Juel ( + 1658) married Kjeld Krabbe (+ 1612) and after him Knud Gyldenstierne (+ 1638) who in 1620 and 1627 wrote himself of S.

road to the kloster

Stubbergård lake

The heirs demanded administration of the estate in 1640, and it was decided in 1641 that the farm had to be divided: a "brother-part" to late Frederik Munk's heirs, a "sister-part" to Mogens Ulfeldt's widow Anne Munk and a "sister-part" to the late Johan Rantzau's children. After fru Christence's death the farm was divided in 1662 among the many heirs, among whom are mentioned Jacob Ulfeldt of Nr. Karstoft, jomfru Anne Cathrine Akeleye (+ unmarried 1707), who lived at the farm for a period; Claus Sparre of Sdr. Tanggård, who was married to her sister, jomfru Anne Munk of Haraldskær, and Frank Rantzau of Estvadgård. Jacob Ulfeldt's part was later shared among his four daughters, Maren, Mette (married to Enevold Kaas of Lyngholm) Dorte and Anne Margrethe. One part of the farm was in 1703 at an auction after P.Benzon of Havnø sold to Erik Jacobsen Juel ( + 1721) . After some buying and selling the farm was collected in three large parts: 1) Anne Cathrine Akeleye's part, with additions, which she bought from Anne Munk's heirs. She willed the farm and estate to Henrik Jørgen Huitfeldt ( + 1751), who in 1707 conveyed it to Christen Linde of Volstrup . His son R.H.Linde of Rosborggård conveyed it in 1744 to Morten Quistgård, who lived at S. in 1750.

Stubbergård lake

Stubbergård came in 1821 with peasant-estate and taxes at an auction, but since there were no buyers the estate was sold, and in 1826 the main farm was sold to Viborg Stiftsøvrighed, which at once sold it to N.L. Boserup of Vinderup Ladegård. He started some outparcelling and conveyed the main parcel and other parcels to his son Jacob Boserup, who moved the farm and in 1870 sold it to M Skow. After much buying and selling during the 1800s it was in 1915 sold to a consortium, which outparcelled the estate. The main parcel owner was in 1965 C.M.J. Kudahl. The old Stubbergård and the large plantations were bought by director Valdemar Lausen and belonged in 1965 to his daughter grevinde Vibeke Knuth, Vosnæsgård.

The kloster site and building  to the left

 Stubberkloster had a desolate place in very scenic surroundings upon a small islet in Stubbergård lake, an islet, which is now connected with land. Some rests of the kloster-building are preserved, and with the support from Iver Juel's archives and excavations by the National Museum in ab. 1920 is the size of the plan  mainly possible to realize. The kloster-building was a four-winged rectangular plan, placed on the high part of the islet, while the lower part was an abildgård (apple orchard), and the economic buildings were placed here to the south. The church, which like the other buildings of the reformation period was thatched and very decayed, was undoubtedly also placed to the south, but it is not possible to see its plan. There was also another kloster-building to the south, but both the church and this building were probably demolised by Iver Juel, who built a gate wing here in 1545. From the west wing of the kloster is the bottom storey still preserved, built into the steep side of the islet. The building is 16,6 x 7,8 m and has a large vaulted hall with a brick floor and in the walls are niches, possible meant for saints- figures This room must have been a beautiful hall in the kloster.

The hall

 In an excavation were in 1920 found four baking ovens. The building is probably from the beginning of the 1400s. It is in red monk bricks upon a foundation of raw field-stones. In ab. 1800 stood only a long thatched house,which in 1870 was sold for demolishion to the peasants in the area, and at that point was the  kloster-archive from the kloster-period destroyed. In order to protect the medieval room was built a small house, which in the beginning of the 20th century was replaced with the present uncovering, a large thatched roof, and at the same time and later was the building face walled.





 When Iver Juel bought the kloster it was very decayed, the north wing had disappeared and was probably burnt down. At this site he let build with use of the demolished Trandum church a fine fruerstue (ladies' house) with a tower; the building existed no longer in 1800. In an excavation were digged out some high walls. The ground plan of the east wing is seen in the terrain as a raised area continuing down to the lake. This must have been the bank, which fenced in the abildgård (apple orchard). Iver Juel mentions the stable and a new house near the lake. The kloster was plundered three times, and already before he bought it Iver Juel let it in 1545 be surrounded by moats, which were made deeper in 1552. The connection to land was by a barge, until Kjeld Juel built a bridge. He also rebuilt the farm building, which still stood at the islet  - and he probably also established the smitty, the mill and a sheep fold.

In 1807 burnt the east wing, in 1805 was the southern house demolished, and in 1834 the other buildings except the west wing, which stood until 1870. In 1849 built Jacob Boserup the present simple yellow-washed main building at New Stubbergård, which had its place in more fertile surroundings about 2 km northwest of the old kloster. At the old kloster and at New Stubbergård are kept some finely carved granite stone of medieval origin, they origin from the kloster and from Trandum church. In an excavation at the kloster-cemetery were found many skeletons, rests of rosaries and other objects.

Hjerl Hede

Flyndersø

Hjerl Hede was in 1910 bought by and named from ex-minister of finance, H.P.Hjerl-Hansen. He had plans about planting. In 1931 the area was transferred to the Hjerl-foundation, founded in 1915, which in 1934 let the whole area with the beautiful land surrounding the lake Flyndersø be a nature conservation. In 1930 was here built Denmarks oldest peasant farm from Vinkel at Viborg, which was from before 1530, and this was the beginning of the Open Air Museum The Old Village. This holds several other fine old  village houses (farms, mills, smitty, inn, school, barns stables etc.) from various places in the country, brought here and rebuilt here, also a reconstruction of a Romanesque church, an Iron Age house and a few Stone Age huts. There have been laid out high-ridged medieval fields etc. In the summer period is seen how life was in the old village and in the prehistoric houses. It is a very popular place for Danes and tourists from abroad in the summer period. 

Listed prehistorics: Not less than 142 hills, and a 38 m long long-hill Døjs at Navtrup. Several hills are large: Salshøj in a group of 8 hills, Tophøj at Kokborg. South of Sevel a group of 10 hills, like Galgehøj, Haldhøj and Storehøj. At Gunderup is Troldhøj, at Herrup Tophøj and in Sevel plantation Råhøj. East of the lakes two large hills, Vinsøhøj at Hjelm heath, and at Mogenstrup near Skive Å-river valley, two large hills.
Destroyed or demolished: possibly a passage grave at Søndermølle, a find of two flint axes and a club might suggest this. In one of the Skårhøjene were found a battle axe, an arrow head, a bronze sword-blade etc., and under the hill were seen traces from a plough.

At Hellesø are several rich settlements from the Gudenåkulturen. At Herrup was examined a grave site with 24 stone-pile graves from early Stone Age. At Blakskærgårde was in a bog found two bronze-necklaces.

Sevel church (photo later)
The eastern and section of the choir and the nave are from the Romanesque period in granite ashlars at a profiled plinth. The church has a tower to the west and a porch to the south. Two Romanesque windows are kept in the choir. Both original doors are walled in. The church was after 1554 extended to the west with material from the demolished Trandum church and the tower in granite ashlars and monk bricks was added. The tower was heightened  in 1574 and finished in 1577. The tower room was originally vaulted, but it has now a flat ceiling like the choir and the nave, to which it is connected in a large round arch.the porch is a brick-building from 1765. The church is partly white washed.

In the communion tabe, which was re-walled in 1902, is a reliquary. The panel is from ab. 1600. The middle field of the altar piece is from a late Gothic triptychon with carved figures from 1515, in a change in the Renaissance were added new side fields. The figures were restored in 1948. An oil paiting, which was in the altar piece in 1858, is now on the church wall. New brass candelabres. Romanesque granite font with leaf-decoration and arcades on the basin. A pulpit from 1605 with the coat of arms of Kjeld Juel and fru Christence Juel, the original decoration was restored in 1911. The sounding board was a later addition in Rococo-style. Pews in Renaissance-style, the upper two closed manor stools with the coat of arms of the family Juels. In the west end a gallery from ab. 1590 with paintings of the apostles from 1858. In the church hang a series pastorum and a model of the school ship "Danmark". In the tower a bell from 1876 and a carillon, which with a tower-clock was given by Andreas Gade in 1938. Several memorials in the church, like gravestones, portrait reliefs, rests of coat of arms, coffin plates,figures etc. The church is fenced in by a stone dike with a double portal to the south.


Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965. 
photo Stubberkloster & Flyndersø May 2009, Hjerl Hede 2005.

Almind church / Almind kirke, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt.

Almind Church, 5 km southest of Viborg
Almind sogn, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt

The church in Almind has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave and a late Gothic tower to the west The porch to the south was broken down. The original section is built in exquisite well-carved granite ashlars, except under the nave's western third, which might be an extension. The original eastern window of the apse and the northern of the choir have various shaped monolit cover stones. In the north window of the nave is an original wooden window frame with carved round curved light-opening. The two doors of the nave have quart-round pillars carved in the frame stones, corner knots with the plinth, capitals and smooth tympanums etc. In several ashlars are deepened figures and one with a projecting human head. Upon apse and choir arch are profiled kragbånd. Apse has an original quart-cupola vault, the nave has two late Gothic octagonal vaults, the choir has a plaster loft. The tower is built in raw granite boulders and monk bricks; it has on the west wall the initials HES CMF and the year 1779. The flatlofted inside of the tower now functions as a porch.

Communion table in pine, probably from 1929 like the altarpiece, which has a fresco-painted cross in the middle. A peculiar modern altar cloth with flower embroideries. Altar jar ab. 1850 in Copenhagen porcelain. Late Gothic altar candelabres. Romanesque granite lamp ab. 34x 23 cm with two oil hollows , bricked-up in the wall of the choir. A Romanesque granite font with a smooth, grey basin upon a red square, profiled foot. A large smooth baptismal bowl in brass with engraved Renaissance shield with the initials I O V M D. Ancient baptismal pewter jar. Pulpit in rural Renaissance , ab. 1600, in four sections with arcades, Tuscany corner pillars with acanthus decoration. A simple gable from a pretty Renaissance pew is preserved in the west-gallery. A Romanesque church bell without inscription from the second half of the 1100s.


landscape at Almind

Names in the Middle Ages: Almind Kirkeby (* 1451 Almind, 1499 Alminningh kyrcke); Vranum ( 1498 Vrannum); Tostrup (* 1455 Thorup, * 1486, 1499 Tostrup) ; Tolstrupgårde (* 1488 Tolstrup) ; Snabegård (* 1477 Snabe, 1499 Snabbæ) Mostgård (1552 Mostegaard).

In Kapeldalen at the estate matr. nr. 5a in Almind is a from 1939 listed Skt. Margrethe-kapel, which was ab. 19 m long and 9,5 m broad with walls in raw granite boulder and monk bricks. The chapel was situated in the pretty valley down to Hald sø (at the old main road) and is mentioned 1499; in 1623 it was a ruin. At the site is a sacred well, Skt. Margrethes Kilde.

Mostgård and Mostgård Mølle belonged to Skt. Hans kloster in Viborg, but was sold to hr. Mogens Gøye of Aunsbjerg (+ 1544).

Snabegård belonged in 1477 to Erik Eriksen(Løvenbalk) of Aunsbjerg; in 1512 Niels Clementsen got Erik Eriksen's son Gert Eriksen (Løvenbalk's) part of Aunsbjerg and Snabegård, but in 1548 conveyed Gertrud and Pernille Eriksdatter (Løvenbalk) S. to Niels Skeel of Vinderslevgård, whith which it came to the Crown.

Listed prehistorics: 37 hills, of which 13 form a pretty group, which originally were 25 hills south of Tostrup; one of these hills is very large and just south of the group lies the also very large Kongshøj. Other large hills are Rebmandshøj between Almind and Tostrup, Tinghøj east of and a hill south of Almind, a hill at Snabegård and Staghøj in the large group at Vranum. At Grundvad Mejeri are 5 hills of which 3 are in Vium parish.
Demolished or destroyed: 136 hills, of which several were in groups along Hærvejen, which runs through the parish from Non Mølle till Grundvad, like the large groups at Birgittelyst and Vranum. One of the hills at Vranum contained a grave from early Bronze Age with a neck collar, belt plate, 5 tutuli (jewelry plates) 4 bracelets etc, another contained two urns, of which one is a face urn. - At Non Mølle is a settlement from Gudenåkulturen.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.



photo Almind 2006: grethe bachmann

Gerning church / Gerning kirke, Houlbjerg herred, Viborg amt.

Gerning Church in the mist! ab. 20 km southeast of Viborg
Gerning sogn, Houlbjerg herred, Viborg amt.

The church has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave, a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch to the south from 1869. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars, the south door is extended and the north door has disappeared. A round-arched window in apse is re-opened, while all other original windows are gone. In the walls of the choir to the south and north is inside seen bricked-up point-arched windows from the 1300s. In the apse is a half cupola vault, rebuilt in the latest restoration, while choir and nave have cross vaults from late Gothic period, the choir one, the nave four vaults. The tower is built in monk bricks and a few ashlars, strongly rebuilt in 1944, when a half circular stair tower was addded on its west side.

In a restoration in 1900 frescoes were found upon the vaults. A simple altar piece from 1869 with Thorvaldsen's Kristus in plaster. Altar chalice given by provst Jakob Thuresen Svære. Late Gothic candelabres. A small granite font with lion figures and male heads, much re-cut. A south German baptismal bowl with initials I R D 1618. A pulpit in late Renaissance ab. 1630, with Corinthic corner pillars with new Evangelist-paintings. A church bell from 1503 by Gerhardus de Wou.


relief and chessboard pattern


old gravestones placed in the walls.


Gerning, the churchyard
Names in the Middle Ages:
Gerning (1327 Gærnyngh, 1355 Gerninge); Danstrup (*1398 Danstrup); Tind (*1410 Tinde); Borridsø (1366 Burys); Stærkær (*1399 Starkier); Hesselbjerggårde (*1407 Heszelbierggaard).

Hesselbjerggård was in 1407 owned by hr. Claus Krumpen, whose widow Sophie Olufsdatter in 1425 sold H. and Mikkelstrup to hr. Thomes Jensen.

Stærkær was in 1399 by Hagen Tygesen pawned to hr. Elef Elefsen (Bild), who in 1404 sold the pawn to Elof Jensen, who in 1419 conveyed it to the bishop in Århus, who at the same time received a deed on it by Niels Pallesen and by Peder Lykke, who shortly before had bought estate-rights in S. by Henrik Langelov. In 1458 and 1460 it was by the bishop endowed to Lange Ove Ovesen Kaas (Mur-K.) After the reformation S. came to the Crown. In the 1600s it came to the grevskab Frijsenborg. Later to Frisholt.

In a meadow area is Stærkær voldsted (castle banks); it consists of a circular middle bank, surrounded in east, west and north by a now dried moat. To the south the moat is flattened out. The plan is in full ab. 60 x 90 m.

Listed prehistorics: 18 hills, of which several are rather large: east of Gerning is Ringsøhøj, the only preserved in a group of four. Southeast of Danstrup are 4 large hills, the last of a group of ten. Just north of Tislund skov is the large, high-placed Volshøj.
Demolished or destroyed: 83 hills, mainly at Kraghede north of Hesselbjerg teglværk(tileworks) were large hill-groups; in one of the hills in the last group was a stone cist with two flint daggers and an arrow head. In a hill at Danstrup Bundgård was a rich grave from early Bronze Age with sword, pålstav (war axe), gold-fingerring etc.

Along Gudenå are noted several settlements from the Gudenå-culture. In a low area among hills were 3 heavy thin-necked axes and a large flint-block. At Mågård was found a rich grave from Germanic Iron Age with gold- and silver rings, glass- and amber-pearls and clay-pots.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962


photo Gerning december 2006: 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