Albæk church / Albæk kirke, Randers amt.

Albæk church, ab. 5 km northeast of Randers.

Albæk parish , Støvring herred, Randers amt. 

The church in Albæk has a choir and nave, a tower to the west and a porch at the south side. The choir and nave are from the Romanesque period, built in limestone ashlars upon a plinth with a bevel and above is a round arched frieze, which is only kept in the choir, and lesenes at the corners. The walls were later partly rebuilt, especially in the nave, and a corniche in small red bricks was walled on. From original windows are one in the choir gable, one in the north side of the choir and two in the south side of the nave brought to light in a thorough restoration of the church 1937-38; most of these windows have kept the old wooden frame in the lighting. The north door is bricked up and partly destroyed by a newer window. The south door is in its original place, but has later been remade with a flat curve. A column base, which earlier was in the porch, might indicate that the church had a column portal.

The choir arch is kept inside. The choir, which is remarkably awry in relation to the axis of the nave, got a cross vault in the late Gothic period. The broad western tower is also from the late Gothic period. It is built in blank wall of monk bricks with a vaulted bottom room, which opens to the nave in a round arched arcade and with a pyramid roof, where the weather vane's year 1750 refers to a repair. The whitewashed porch is also from the late Middle Ages with permanent bricked benches and a high stepped gable. The nave had in the Renaissance period got a flat curved barrel vault with stikkapper, resting on wall pillars. (a stikkappe is a lesser vault-piece, cutting into the vault above a door or window).

In the restoration 1938 were found some late Gothic frescoes, some of them coat of arms of the families Bølle, Skade, Banner. It seems that the walls of the nave were covered in frescoes, a few were found at the southside: the saints Elisabeth and Katharina. According to the coat of arms the frescoes seem to origin from ab. 1400.

The bricked communion table with a simple oak cross is from 1938. The earlier altar painting from 1864 hangs upon a wall of the nave. The pulpit, with a carved year 1619, has pillars with decoration- and arcade fields in the original decorations, which was re-discovered in 1937-38; in the fields are fru Kristence Viffert's coat of arms. A Romanesque granite font with double lions and a baptismal dish with the year 1624. Upon the wall of the nave hangs a memorial of herredsfoged ( bailiff) Peder Nielsen Østrup (+ 1653) and wife. A door wing with old mounts between nave and porch. A church ship, the brig "Peters Minde" from ab. 1878.

Buggesholm belonged earlier to Dronningborg rytterdistrikt (military ), but was bought for private ownership in 1766. In 1870 it was bought by Søren N. Skjødt of  Skjødtsminde, whose family has owned it since. In 1932 it was taken over by Niels Skjødt.   

 In Østrup was once a bishop's manor. It was probably here the Århus bishop Svend in 1191 got the sickness helsot (plague). Ab. 1205 the Århus bishop confirmed that one third of the tiende ( a tax)  from the bishop's manor in Østrup had to go to hr. Gødes præbende ( to the priest), which pope Innocens III confirmed in 1207. Several bishops have issued letters from the manor. Some of the vasals at Østrup were: 1460-69 hr. Niels Christensen (vinranke-Munk), who was the brother-in-law of bishop Jens Iversen (Lange); 1478-79 his son Jens Nielsen (Munk); 1491-1537 Jakob or Joakim Lykke, a sister's son of bishop Eiler (Bølle) in Århus: After this Østrup came to the Crown, it was endowed in 1537 to Mourids von Herlug and was in 1547 transferred to Dronningborg vasalry.

countryside, Albæk

Voldstedet, the castle bank of Østrup lies almost in the middle of Albæk village, cut through by the socalled Borggyde (a small street). West of this lies a four sided low castle islet, which moat is kept to the north and west. East of the street Borggyde is a lower placed square where the National Museum in 1913 did some test excavations on a foundation of a cellar. There was a large square room and lesser out-buildings to the north and west, all built in ashlars and raw granite boulders and monk bricks in the late Middle Ages. There was also a building once at the castle islet, but the foundation was almost gone since a farm was built on the place.  

Niels Jonsen of Albæk is mentioned in 1374.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there was a round dolmen, a long dolmen ( Stenhøj) and a hill (Grønhøj), all under Østrup manor.

At the eastern end of Østrup forest is a kitchen midden.



Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963

Translation: grethe bachmann
Photo Albæk 2009,2011: grethe bachmann   

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

The whitewashed, tiled church in Brande has a cernel of a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west. The church is strongly marked by a rebuild in 1939, where it was extended with a side-nave and a sacristy to the north. The Romanesque building, the choir and nave, are built in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth. From original details are three Romanesque windows, one to the east, and a bricked-up window the north and one to the south. The round choir-arch has kragsten, but is very scrapped.  In the rebuild was for a short period built a cross-vault in the choir, and the barrel-vault of the nave was replaced by a beamed ceiling. Most of the north wall was removed, and a side-nave was built, which outside has three pointed gables, added with a sacristy at the northside with a fourth pointed gable. In the southdoor was inserted a new pillar-portal with a "Romanesque" tympanum, and the porch from the reformation period was rebuilt. The late Gothic tower, which was only marked little by the rebuild in 1939, has a cross-vaulted bottom room, which opens to the nave in a pointed tower-arch. Its wallwork was mainly rebuilt in 1724 and probably also in 1737.

Brande church, photo Google Earth.

The brick communion table has a reliquary. It is covered by a panelwork from 1624 with biblical paintings. The altarpiece is a carved work in slightly blurred Renaissance with large evangelist figures. It is probably contemporary to the panel of the communion table;  it has original paintings. Brass candelabres in Baroque, balustershaped with big ball joints. A seven-branched candle-stick, given in 1946 by R. and J. Søndergaard. A wrougth iron kneeler from 1939. The Romanesque granite font, which is brutally dismantled, has a smooth basin with a profiled edge and a cubic foot. An engraved Netherland dish ab. 1625 with a lion in a band with inscription: D. Henricus Coster. A pulpit in Renaissance from the beginning of the 16th century with the coat of arms of Kaas. Upon the corner evangelist figures and in the fields biblical reliefs. Upon a stool gable inscriptions: Hans Lange, Karen Clausdatter, 1604 ( owners of Brandholm). A small crucifix group from the 1600s. An apostle group in alabaster in the sacristy is probably an Italian work from the Baroque period. In the new side-nave is a door wing from ab. 1550 with a post hinge. Two bells, both cast by "De Smithske Støberier", Aalborg, one from 1948 in the memory of 5/5 1945. In the tower room some coffin plates. In the porch two worn-out 1700s gravestones.

Filialkirken i Skærlund (a branch church) built 1895-96 in red bricks. Altar decoration a simple wooden cross. A South German baptismal dish from ab. 1550-75 with the coat of arms of Habsburg.

Filialkirken i Uhre,  (a branch church),  built 1917-20 in red bricks. Inventory in typical skønvirke-stil ( art Noveau).  

Brandholm was owned by Peder Terkelsen Væbner, who got it with his wife Else Juul. He died in 1587 the last male of his family, and B. was inherited by his paternal cousin's son Claus Strangesen of Nørholm (+ 1596), who was also the last male of his family. His son-in-law Hans Lange of Lunderup sold B. to Bendix Rantzau (+ ab. 1616), who was written of the farm in 1608-09. In 1608 his father-in-law Albert Skeel killed the manager of the farm,  and he was executed in 1609, his daughter Kirsten Skeel later married Peder Bille of Lindved, she owned in 1610 part of B. The farm went to Jørgen Below of Hastrup (+ childless 1628), whose sister Sophie Below (+ 1641) in 1631 sold it to her son-in-law Otte Gøye, who at once exchanged it to his brother Eskil Gøye for his part in Tureby. In 1638 the farm still belonged to Eskil Gøye, but in 1641 to Herluf Mormand, who in 1647 had to pawn it to his children Henrik, Sibylle and Birgitte Gøye, the last mentioned's husband Henning Quitzow and the two first mentioned got in 1661 deed on it from Claus Sparre of St. Tanggård. B. had been demolished during the war. (Swedish wars) Henrik Gøye died unmarried in 1668, Henning Quitzow was judged from the farm because of tax debt, but he got it back in 1670 from the king, and his widow laid it in 1682 out to her sister Sibylle Gøye and her husband Conrad v Hövelen, who also had it judged from him. They got it back in 1687 and gave it at once to their son-in-law Niels Parsberg (+ 1710), whose son Preben Parsberg still owned it in 1717.
Later owners: Christen Nielsen of Assersbøl, Jens Nielsen Skjærlund, Claus Cordtsen, Johan Arensberg in Hvejsel, Jens Risom in Brande, Christen Handrup, Niels Pedersen Hvidberg, Laurids Jensen Brande, Niels Jensen Kiersgaard, Otte Arrevad, Th. Chr. Christensen (the last mentioned in 1860.)

Hr. Lars Jonsen (Panter) gave in 1329 the farm Lund for a præbende to Ribe domkirke. (Ribe cathedral)
(præbende = income).

Peder Esgersen (Bryning) deeded in 1420 the farm Dørslund to the bishopric in Ribe. 

Brande town with vicarage almost burnt down in 1780.

 old lignite deposits

at the old power station

Near Brande are large lignite deposits.

Listed prehistorics: 101 hills and 4 longhills; several hills are large, at Brandlund lies the 5 m high Store Stendalshøj and 3 other large hills. Upon the top of Sandfeld Bjerge (a hillside) is a large hill in Hundehøj plantation called Hundehøj, at Dørslund the hill Sortehøj; south of Uhre Brogårdshøj and Pasbjerg, at Flø Heath a large flat hill in a group of 17 hills. Northwest of Dørslund lies a group of 11 hills, and at Lundfod close to the eastern parish  border a group of 6 hills.

Demolished or destroyed: 142 hills, a big part of these hills were single graves, several have been excavated.

At Uhre was found an amber jewelry from Stone Age. From Pedersborg origins a Bronze Age sacrifice jewelry find: brosche and hængekar (for the belt).

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Brande (1329 Brynied, ab. 1330 Brvnld, late 1300s Brønyld, 1438 Brunlæ, 1567 Brandle); St. Langkær (1524 Langker Mark, 1610 Langkier); Skærlund (1638 Skierlund); Uhre (1329 Vræ, 1610 Wffre); Brandlund (1329 Lund, 1610 Brandlund); Dørslund (1420 Dysling, Døseling); Flø (1610 Fløe); Blæsbjerg (1664 Bleszbierre); Lundfod (1632 Lundtfoed); Arvad (1638 Arrevad); Grarup (1488 Graarup); Skerris (1573 Skerrits); Nørre Askær (1610 Askier, 1683 Nørre Askier); Sønder Askær (1683 Synder Arszkier); Hyvild (1578 Hyffuitgaard, 1638 Hyvild); Risbjerg (1524 Riisberre Mark, 1610 Riisberj); Tarp (1638 Tarp, 1664 Thorp); Sandfeld (1610 Sandfeild); Sandfeld Bjerge (1664 Bierre, 1683 Sandfeld bierge); Brande Harrild (1352 Harride, 1610 Harild, 1664 Wester Harild); Lille Langkær (1638 Lill Langkier); Alkærlund (1664 Algierlundt); Kragsighuse (1329 Braksuk, late 1300s Kraaksik); Brandholm (1638 Braandholm); Usseltoft (1664 Wszelltofft); Husumgård (1664 Huszum); Brogård (1664 Brødgaard, 1683 Broegaard).  
   
Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

3 x photo Brande 2006: grethe bachmann
1 x photo from Google Earth.

Brejninggård and Brejning church / Brejning kirke, Bølling herred, Ringkøbing amt.

 















The eastern wing of Brejninggård, built ab. 1580 by the nobleman Hans Lange, is one of the prettiest manor buildings in Denmark. The gate-wing displays a unique terra-cotta decoration in the facade. Brejninggård is now furnished into a high school , but there is public access to the yard and the garden.

Modern wings were built in 1942 and 1958 by the competent architect Helge Holm, and they suit the original Renaissance-plan well. The whole building is white-washed with red tiled roofs. The unique terracotta decoration on the east wing is the largest attraction of this manor. Brejninggård represents the original Italian ideal with a main emphasis on the decoration instead of the fortification which is seen in other manors. The facade shows some similarity to the manor Vorgård in North Jutland and the famous garden-house Pirkentavl at Rosenholm manor on Djursland. The ideal of Brejninggård might be the terracotta-ornamented North German city-houses. In Mecklenburg is a terracotta-decoration at the castle Gadebusch, built ab. 1570, which shows a similarity to Brejninggård.

The main building is listed in class A. Its terracotta-decoration makes it unique in the architectural history of Denmark, but it has been strangely neglected by contemporary architecture-historians.

Brejninggård belonged before the reformation to Ribe bishopric and was in 1457 and 1464 endowed to væbner Laurids Rød. In 1536 it came to the Crown, which in 1537 pawned it to Johan Stage, but in 1544 sold it to Gunde Lange (+ 1564). After this it belonged to the son Hans Lange of Kærgård (+1609), whose sons Tyge and Gunde Lange owned it together, until Tyge Lange died unmarried in 1614. In 1646 Gunde Lange of Kølbygård sold it to his brother Peder Lange of Kærgård (+ 1661), whose son Jørgen Lange in 1661 conveyed it to his wife-to-be jomfru Dorthe Galde. In 1665 it belonged to her brother-in-law Knud Skinkel ( + childless 1669), whose brother Morten Skinkel (+ childless 1679) took over the farm, which by his widow Helle Urne of Estvadgård (+ 1688) in an exchange 1682 came to his paternal aunt jomfru Ide Skinkel, who in 1683 transferred it to colonel Laurids Munk of Merløsegård (+ 1702). His widow Barbara Hedevig v. Dragsted ( + 1709) conveyed it in 1708 to Chr.Ulrich Schultz of Viumgård (+ 1709), whose son-in-law Steffen Nielsen of Endrupholm ( 1719 ennobled with the name Ehrenfeldt) in 1718 conveyed it to his sister's son Johannes Müller of Lunderup, who sold it at an auction in 1726 to Chr. Siegfried Enholm (later of Marsvinslund, + 1769). He sold it in 1754 to ritmester Hans Nicolai Hoff (later of Silkeborg, + 1806), who in 1760 conveyed it to baron Chr. Fr. Juul of Rysensteen, who lived at the farm, but in 1771 sold it to amtmand Peter de Albertin of Slumstrup, (+ 1779), whose widow Cathrine Kirstine Folsach owned it until her death 1812. ( she sold much of the property in 1794).

Later owners: Chr. H. Bonne, N. Nyholm of Haraldskær, H.S. and N.H. Frandsen, H.S. Albrechtsen, Statens Jordlovsudvalg ( outparcelling); School in main building since 1942 .

A Swan-family in the yard at Brejninggård

Brejning church
The large Brejning church has a choir with a three-winged finish, a nave and tower to the west and a porch at the north door. The center in the very mixed-together building are the sidewings of the choir and the nave, built in the Romanesque period in granite ashlars. In the long walls of the nave is a round-arched Romanesque window. The north-door is preserved, while each trace of the south door has vanished. In the late Middle Ages was the porch built with very heavy wealls in monk bricks. The broad tower is also from late Gothic period, built in re-used ashlars at the bottom and monk bricks above; it is best preserved at the north side, while the other sides are face-walled in ab. 1759. The bottom tower room is vaulted and opens in an arcade to the nave. The choir was rebuilt in the Renaissance-period, probably in 1581, since this year and the names Hans Lange and Johanne Schram and their coat of arms are written on clay tablets in the eastern wall. At the same time the old Romanesque triumph-wall disappeared between nave and choir, and the church was now in one room with a beamed ceiling.

Upon the bricked communion table stands an altar piece from ab. 1600-1610, painted 1876, now restored like the other wood-work in 1931. The altar-candelabres from ab. 1700. A Romanesque font with a rope-winded bulb. A large brass bowl from 1700. A large late Gothic choir-arch crucifix. The pulpit at the north side is from the beginning of the 1600s, in Renaissance, but with decorations from 1698. The manor-stools are from the end of the 1500s and has the names and coat of arms of Hans Lange and Johanne Schram. A confessional with grating and the year 1647, decorated in 1698. The upper pews have a front-panel with apostel-paintings, they origin from a gallery, which was earlier in the church. Portrait painting of Chr. Ulrich Schultz of Brejninggård and his wife and children. In a restoration in 1960-61 were found medieval coins, from Erik Menved to up til Chr. X.  

Listed prehistorics: Two passage graves, a longhill and 58 hills. One of the passage graves at Rudmose has a chamber with 10 supporting stones, but no cover stone; the other southeast of Brejninggård has 8 supporting stones and 44 edge stones, and it brought several finds, especially ceramics. Some of the hills are rather large, like Krathøj, just east of Krattet, 3 of 4 Ravnsbjerghøje, which are placed at the parish-border to Nr. Omme, and a hill southeast of Brejninggård.
Demolished or destroyed: one passage grave, a long dolmen and 133 hills.

A petroglyph-stone was found with a wheel-cross at Brejning. A settlement from early Roman Iron Age is known from Spjald.

Source: Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.
photo June 2003: grethe bachmann