Gærum church /Gærum kirke, Horns herred, Hjørring amt.

Gærum church, ab. 8 km southwest of Frederikshavn.

Gærum parish, Horns herred, Hjørring amt.


The lonely situated whitewashed church in Gærum (Gerum) has a new tower to the west, a nave and choir and a porch to the north. The present nave and choir represent the oldest core, undoubtedly a late Romanesque building in large monk bricks, mixed with some boulder, but there are no safe evidence of the dating. The whole north side is now without windows, earlier was supposed that there was a trace of Romanesque windows, which are not visible now. The church has inside a beamed ceiling, while the choir has a cross vault. At the end of the Middle Ages a tower was built, but it seems that only the bottom storey with a point arched arcade towards the nave was finished. A new tower is built upon this place, whitewashed with a pyramid roof (built 1956-57); and at the same occassion the walls of the nave were enheightened. The porch was built in 1863.

The altarpiece is a Renaissance work from 1602 (painted date of year), undoubtedly given by Vogn Svendsen (Orning) of Gerumgård, whose paternal and maternal coat of arms are at the postament. The altarpiece has three high narrow fields, each with a triangular gable and divided by slender columns; in the middle field is a painting from ab. 1850. A Romanesque granite font; a baptismal dish in brass from the 1500s with a later giver-inscription. An oblate box was in 1712 given by Jens Olufsen Wang, who earlier in 1690 gave a lyseskærm ( reflector in brass) for the pulpit. The pulpit is in high Renaissance with carved year 1592, in the fields, divided by baluster-columns, are biblical images, flatcarved with engraved details; in the postament fields inscriptions and the coat of arms of the above mentioned Vogn Svendsen Orning and wife, Ingeborg Basse. The same couple is memorized upon two pew gables, now in the tower room. (1960). The other pews are from the last restoration in 1956. In the porch stand two Romanesque  granite crosses. A Romanesque bell from ab. 1175, without inscription.

* upon the north wall of the nave hangs an altar painting (Golgatha) from 1915, which was used before the painting from 1895. (see various links on the net: Gærum kirke/ Gerum kirke.  

* restoration of altar in 2012? with a new pretty altar decoration, but no information about the artist



 Gerumgård was a herregård (manor) already in the Middle Ages. In 1350 væbner Niels Pedersen (Hagel) wrote himself of Gerum; in 1395 Peder Nielsen (Hagel ), who had 3 søblade (= water lily leaves or hearts)  in his coat of arms. In 1469 Knud Nielsen lived in Gerum, and in 1520 fru Else. In 1538 G. was owned by Jens Torlufsen (Basse from Vendsyssel), in 1568 by his widow Maren Nielsdatter (Smalsted). Their daughter Ingeborg Jensdatter (Basse from Vendsyssel) brought by marriage the farm to Vogn Svendsen (Orning) (+ earliest 1599),whose son Svend Vognsen Orning (+ earliest 1636) before 1617 sold G. to his relative captain Hans Lauridsen Basse (from Vendsyssel) (+ ab. 1648), but in 1627 he is mentioned as residing in "Vestergård in Gerum".  G. was inherited by Hans Basse's daughters, Sophie Hansdatter Basse (from Vendsyssel) (+ ab. 1667), m. to Erik Hvas of Skjortholt, and Ellen Hansdatter Basse (from Vendsyssel) (+ ab. 1673 unmarried). After Erik Hvas' death in 1661 his widow sold in 1667 G. with estate to her sister, the above mentioned jomfru Ellen Basse, who in 1668 pawned it to Erik Hvas' 6 children, of whom the daughter Abel Marie Hvas (of Skjortholt)(+ earliest 1680) was m. to Georg Henrik v Grimmer, who in 1674 wrote himself of G. but left his wife the same year and went down to the Netherlands.

Later owners: Jens Hvas, Tyge Andersen (Rugholm), Kirsten Knudsdatter, Hans Petersen Nordmand, Jørgen Bille of Ellinggård, biskop Christoffer Gertsen Mumme of Eget, Fr. Henrik Stampe, Claus Hansen, Hans Peder Clausen Hauman, Christen Ørsnes at Hørbylund, Hans Severin Rafn, Jonas Jespersen, Arent Hassel Rasmussen of Sejlstrup, Christen Løgtholt and Christen Neisig, Niels R. Bornholm, Hans Høyer, N. Severin Nyssum, Hans Jelstrup, Lauge Severin Fanøe, Valdemar Kongsted, Chr. Oluf Højmark, Chr. Christiansen (Bouet), Statens jordlovsudvalg, udstykning, hovedparcel: solgt 1952 til: Kurt Jelvard Møller.


Rydsholt was owned free by Niels Tømmermand in Aalborg in 1525 acc. to Christian II's  royal letter. In 1579 Karine Krabbe (of Østergård)( + 1586), widow after Niels Skeel of Nygård (Brusk herred)( + 1561) and Otte Banner of Asdal (+ 1585) bought on behalf of his wife fru Ingeborg Skeel (+ 1604) of Voergård  the right of the Crown in R. with permission to negotiate the peasant taxes.

Fru Abel Marie Hvas (of Skjortholt) wrote herself of Svejs in 1576 .

In Rævdal is in 1576 mentioned fru Bolle Svendsdatter (Orning).

A house at Gerumgård was in 1662 called Rylden. In 1688 is in the parish mentioned the farm Boes and the house Lille høfuit.   

Listed prehistorics: the parish is in relation to its size  very rich on prehistorics. Listed are: a long dolmen, a passage grave, 2 long hills, 34 hills and a stone circle. The long dolmen is Stenstuen at Gærum kirke, 68 m long with 57 edge stones and a disturbed chamber in the east end. The passage grave Blakshøj is one of the largest and best preserved in Jutland with an eight m long chamber. Here were found 3 flint axes and some clay pot pieces. Among the hills are especially two large hills at Kragkær, one upon the highest point of the parish Kig-ud , and close to this is Storhøj, and two hills at Nr. Vrangbæk.
Demolished or destroyed: two dolmens, of which one brought 6 flint axes, 3 claypots etc, the other several amber pearls; furthermore 23 long hills, 120 hills, a stone circle and a large amount of small mounds.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: 
Rævdal (1579 Refvedal); Vester and Øster Rør (1610 Røer, 1662 Wester- Øster Rør); Bovet (1662 Bowed); Tvedens Huse (1484 Twedh); Gerumgård (1662 Gierumbgaard); Sveje (1662 Sveige); Blakshøjgård (earlier Gødgård) (1610 Giøgard); Bygstade (1688 Bug Stade); Vejrbakken (1662 Weyerbachen); Bol (1638 Bodel, 1662 Boell); Fuglsang (1610 Fouellsanngh); Rydsholt (1467 Rettzholt, 1525 Rysholt); Nr. Vrangbæk (1610 Vrangbech); Hulsig (1572 Holssig); Guddal (1662 Gudall); Kragkær (1610 Kragkier); Kovstrup (1610 Kosterup); Lybershøj (1579 Lubeshof, Lubischøf.)




Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960. 
photo: Google earth, Gærum kirke.

Tolne church/ Tolne kirke and Skårupgård, Hjørring amt.

Tolne church,ab. 10 km west of Frederikshavn, Google earth.

Tolne parish, Horns herred, Hjørring amt. 

Tolne church, wikipedia.

 The whitewashed tiled church in Tolne is surrounded by granite boulder dikes. it has a nave a choir with a flat altar wall and a porch to the north. The oldest sections are the choir and the eastern sections of the nave, upon a plinth of carved boulders with a bevelled plinth. The choir is probably the oldest. The south side of the nave and the walls of the choir are re-walled. The north wall of the nave is well-kept, built in monk bricks, possibly in the beginning of the 1200s in late Romanesque style. The old north door is still in its original place, the south door is indicated threshold-stone. The western part of the nave was added in the late Middle Ages. It has the beginning of a vault and was possibly meant to support a tower, which either was never finished or later broken down. Inside the church is a beamed  ceiling. The round choir arch is probably not the original.

interior, wikipedia

                                                   


The altarpiece is a Renaissance work from ab. 1600, divided in storeys with smooth columns and side wings in the big field; a painting from 1898  by Anker Lund; a contemporary communion table panel. Under the choir, which is elevated by three steps, is a vaulted burial, with several coffins, like the bodies of High Court Judge Erik Rodsteen (+ 1687) , captain Frands Chrf. de Roepstorff  (+ 1730). In the church hang several coffin plates from these burials : Hign Court Judge Steen Rodsteen of Lerbjerg and his wife Margrete Urne, both + 1664. The pulpit and the pews are newer; the organ from 1908. The church was restored upon wall and roof and inventory 1951-52. Upon the church yard a *bell-frame with a bell from 1487, inaugurated to Sct. Bartholomæus.

* the bell-frame was replaced by a new in oak-timber in 1865, an accurate replica of the earlier bell-frame.

church ship "Danmark", wikipedia.

Skårupgård is possibly nmentioned in 1419 in the name Skordorp and belonging to hr. Niels Ovesen (Panter) of Asdal. Kærsgård and Knivholt (+ before 1419) and his wife Johanne Andersdatter (Stenbrikke), but it was on the exchange after them laid out to the rigshofmester hr. Anders Jacobsen (Jepsen) Lunge of Gunderslevholm, who had been m. to their daughter fru Ingeborg Nielsdatter (Panter) (+ 1391). In 1546 Poul Vinter deeded Skårupgård with mill to his sister's sons Chr Christensen in Skårup and Jens Christensen of Egås. In 1568 Christopher Pedersen is mentioned in Skårup. In 1579 fru Karine Krabbe (K. of Østergård)(+ 1586), widow after Niels Skeel of Nygård (Brusk herred)( + 1561) and Otto Banner of Asdal etc. (+ 1585) on his wife Ingeborg Skeel(+1606) of Voergård's behalf, permission from the Crown to negotiate  the bondeskylden ( peasant debt) in a freehold farm in Skårup, probably identical with the farm mentioned in 1546.

In the first half of the 1600s S. was owned by Jørgen Orning of Eget; in 1638 he writes himself of S., probably he or fru Ingeborg had extended the land by adding land from other farms (Skårup village?). In 1662 the castle yard and the farm yard was under one and not built different from a common farm. After Jørgen Orning's death in 1644 the widow Lisbet Stensdatter Rodsteen inherited together with the daughters Christence Orning (+ earliest 1653); Kirsten Orning (+ 1718), m. to Niels Harbou of Søgård (+ 1675), Sophie Orning,  m. to Mogens Krabbe (K. of Østergård) of Vejbyvad (+ 1676), and Agathe Orning (+ 1684),  m. to Wolf Unger of Hæstrup. In 1654 Lisbet Rodsteen deeded together with the daughters Sophie and Agathe their parts in S. to the last mentioned's brother Vil Orning, who however died latest in 1658. Mogens Krabbe gathered now some or all inheritance and his brother hr. Otte Krabbe (K. of Østergård)  of Holmegård etc. (+ 1719) got in 1686 on behalf of the under age heirs a royal permission that S. hereafter was a taxfree farm, whereafter it in 1687 was sold to earlier bailiff at Eskær, Rasmus Jørgensen in Dal.

Later owners: Christen Lauridsen; Otte Arenfeldt; Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz; Bo Johannesen Møller; Peder Hansen Milling; C. Sørensen and Ferdinand Chr. Rørbye; Poul Møller; Chr. C Møller; Cr. Fr. Ingerslev; Peter Chr. Wilhelm Frederiksen; Andreas Skriver; O.L.Bang; E.K. Jørgensen; F.N.Westengaard; J. Westengaard; Hans Claus Chr. Bang; Niels Andersen; Knud Andersen. Source from wikipedia: 1944 Knud Andersen; 1961 N.S.Høm ; 1987 – Aage Roune; 1995 – Henrik Hougaard.

In the village Dverretved lived in 1653 fru Lisbet Stensdatter Rodsteen, widow after Jørgen Orning (+ 1644), but she moved the same year to Sortkær in Elling parish .

Tolnegård was a freehold farm until the Klementsfejden (Clements feud), but was taken over by the Crown and not released. It was in the 1600s leased to herredsfoged ( bailiff) Søren Jensen (+ ab. 1641) and then to his son herredsfoged (- 1688) Ove Sørensen. The first mentioned's father, herredsfoged Jens Sørensen lived probably also here. In 1664 the Crown deeded away T., but the farm was later (1680-87) krongods (the Crown's estate) again.

In the southern end of the parish was a farm, in 1688 called Bateborg.  


Listed prehistorics: North of Tolne kirke is the long dolmen Stenhøj with two big edge stones and a destroyed chamber. At Skørbækshede a stone cist with 6 upright stones, possibly the rests of a long dolmen. 38 hills, which mainly are in the western part of the parish, several are large, like Storhøjene and two of Bålhøjene, southwest and northeast of Tolne kirke.
Demolished or destroyed: two long dolmens, both at Skørbækshede, one long hill and 17 hills.

At Skørbækshede was found a sacrifice from Stone Aage: 6 flint sickles and a flint plank. At Dverretved was found a rich grave from early Roman period. In a moor at Tolne were found 4 bronze vessels from late Roman period.


In Tolne bakker (hills) in Dybdal west of Tolne station was a sacred spring. Here was held a Kildemarked (sacred spring market) on 24/8 (Sct Bartholomæus Day). The first Lutheranian priest Søren Draaby was killed here, so it is  is said. The market moved in 1853 to Hørmested kro, and in 1885 to Sindal.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Tolne (1452 Tolne, 1466 Toln); Dverretved (1419 Dywrtwed, 1466 Dwæretwedh); Tranget (1662 Throngit); Pinkrog (1688 Pin Krogen); Børsholt (1573 Bøsholt); Snerpen (1662 Snerpen); Vesterholmen (1662 Dreredweds Holm, 1688 Holmen); Skørbækshede (1567 Skiørpishede, 1662 Schorpitz Heede); Skårupgård (1638 Skorupsgaard); Kraghede (1638 Kragheede, 1662 Krags Heede); Dal (1638 Dale); Mølhede (1688 Møllheen); Bremsholt (1662 Brenszholt); Katsig (1662 Katsig) . 


Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960. 
photo Google earth and wikipedia.