Hvirring church/Hvirring kirke, Nim herred, Skanderborg amt.

 

The large church in Hvirring has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave; it is built in granite ashlars. It has a Gothic western tower and a porch to the south from ab. 1600, both in monk bricks with use of granite ashlars in the bottom sections. The apse was in the Gothic period divided from the choir by a barrier wall with two doors, it has a bevel plinth - the halfcupola vault of the room has two ribs and was probably changed when the barrier wall was built. A Romanesque window to the east is preserved and - as an outside glare: an original circular window to the southeast. The choir has a plinth with a round-stick profile. In the northwall are both Romanesque windows preserved, to the south stands the western window as an outside glare. Here is also seen a small low-placed window (hagioskop), maybe used for the communion of the lepers. Under this window is an ashlar with a cup-shaped hollow. The broad Romanesque choir arch has a bevel plinth and kragbånd with animal- and plant windings in relief. The nave, which stands upon a bevel plinth, has from original details kept the four windows on the north side, but nr 1 and 3 window from west have been remade. The doors of the nave are also Romanesque, both with a tympanum. The tympanum of the south door is smooth, while the north door is decorated with a wooden relief and acanthus-windings. The late Gothic tower, which possibly has replaced an earlier, narrower tower, had originally a free-stair to the north up to a narrow door in the middle storey; now there is only access to the upper storeys through a trapdoor in the vault of the tower room. Wall-anchors form the initials TT-ET and the year 1778, which refer to a rebuild, and the upper section of the tower and its present low pyramid spire possibly derive from this. The tower room is connected to the nave in a round-arched arcade. In the choir is one, in the nave four bays cross-vaults of late Gothic type, according to tradition built by Claus Glambek of Rask, (+ 1591), who for this work probably used stones from the demolished Boring kirke. Large building works at the church is mentioned in Chancellery-letters 31/7 1590 and 7/6 1593.

The altar decoration is a large mural by Joakim Skovgaard from 1919. The communion table is decorated by J. Th. Skovgaard. A painting of Christ from the 1880s hangs in the nave. Upon the altar table stands a small crucifix with a leaden figure, possibly from the 1700s, upon a new wooden cross. The chalice with the year 1699 has earlier parts; in the cup is engraved the court of arms of Reventlow. A large cylindrical , Romanesque granite font with a simple round stick-decoration. Baptismal dish from 1918.  Pulpit in early Renaissance-style from ab. 1600. Pews from restoration 1917-19. A church ship, a modern model of Chr. IV's ship "Enhjørningen" (the Unicorn). Bell from 1639, according to inscription recast at the request of Chrestofer Pacsk of Rask.













In the nave an epitaph with rich carvings in acanthus-Baroque for Movrids Hanssøn Højer of Rask (+ 1722), and wife Gjertrud Movridsdatter Borchast, (+ 1709). In the north wall of the choir is bricked a portrait-gravestone with the family-coat of arms of above mentioned Claus Glambek (+ 1591), his widow Berete Rosenkrantz and the daughters Mergrete and Kirstine, who are buried under the choir, where were found burial chambers in 1917 and 1940. In the floor of the nave a worn out priest-gravestone. Upon the church yard are several old gravestones from the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s.


Upon the socalled Kirkebakke (church hill) south of Boring village is the site of Boring kirke, it is now grassgrown and plant with large ashes. It was listed in 1949 and a memorial is raised. In the grass is seen the contours of choir and nave of a Romanesque plan-type, but a marl pit in the western part of the bank has swallowed the traces of a tower. The church is mentioned in 1524, but in 1548 "the desolate church" is mentioned at Navlhale (Rask mølle), and the church was said to be demolished by Claus Glambeck.   

Rask belonged in 1492 to Las Grøn, in 1498 to the brothers Erik and Søren Gødesen, in 1532 still to Søren Gødesen, in 1543 and 1552 to his widow Karen, in 1552 and 1563 to the son Iver Sørensen Rask (Gødesen), in 1565 and 1577 to his widow Barbara Splidsdatter (Fasti), since they left no children the farm came to his sister Maren Sørensdatter (Gødesen)(+ 1600); widow after Niels Glambek,  and her son Claus Glambek (+ 1591). His widow Birgitte Rosenkrantz is in 1592 and 1609 written of R., which the daughter Sophie Glambek (+ 1620) in 1609 brought to her husband Mogens Pax (+ 1642), who in 1634 conveyed half the farm to his son Christoffer Pax, who in 1650 was murdered at R. His widow Hilleborg Bille owned the farm still in 1661. Later it was owned by Mette Grubbe (+ 1683), widow after Ebbe Ulfeld of Urup, her brother Alexander Grubbe conveyed 1686 half of R. and some estate to Mourids Hansen Høyer (+ 1722), who in 1689 bought the other half and some estate from Mathias Frederik Lützow of Vedbygård, whose stepchildren (Sivert Grubbe's children) had inherited this part after their paternal aunt Mette Grubbe.

Later owners: Hans Marcussen, Laurids Amnitzbøll, Andreas Bjørn, H.G.Bechmann, Herman Christiansen from Flensborg, auction, Ebbe Sørensen Høllund, Skanderborg amts udstykningsforening (=outparcelling), In the 1920s the main building was bought by widow Dorph-Broager: rekonvalescenthjem (resting home) in 1964.

The present main building from 1700-1800s is built upon a very large rectangular castle bank, surrounded by water-filled moats. There are no specific informations, but Claus Glambek did probably build a great residence here at Rask in the late 1500s. The main building has a very idyllic location  behind the vigorous tree growth of the castle banks.

Peder Rask conveyed in 1323 estate in Boring and Hvirring to hr. Niels Brok the Elder, who in 1324 also got estate in B. as a pawn from Palle Jensen from Støvring. His son's daughter Elne Pedersdatter Brok conveyed in 1365 her  fourth of B. to Valdemar Atterdag. According to a judicial letter of 1396 the rest belonged to a peasant; Erik and Jens Iversen Lykke renounced in 1400 and Mogens Munk of Boller in 1406 their rights in B.

Boringsgård belonged in 1626 to Knud Galt (+ 1650); Boring Hovgård was under Rask in 1662 and was
copyhold by 2 peasants.

In a moor north of Boring cvillage lies a site of the manor Boringholm, which belongs to the National Museum, and which in the 1300s belonged to the noble family Brok, but it is not mentioned after 1400. Excavations in 1906-12 have shown that the farm was built out in the moor, several hundred oak poles have been driven in. Here was a four-winged main building (30x30 m) with front-castles east west, and with bridges to the land to the north and south. Besides a big amount of building material were found parts of waggons, clothes, ab. 300 pair of shoes ( many "nose"-shoes from 1350-1400), belts, weapons, harness, plates from armor, a large sword in scabbard, crossbows, seals, forks, wooden shovels, knives with scabbards, tools, barrels, pieces from Danish and foreign ceramics, gloves, checkers, and parts of a gameboard for Merrills. (Nine Man Morris). All the finds are from the 1300s and the small finds are now at the National Museum.

Rask mølle was earlier called Navlhale mølle after a nearby house (1683 Naufl hol husz, Nagelhaal, Nagellholldsschouffhuusz).

Listed prehistorics: the 65 m longhill Langbjerg which now lies in the middle of a large gravel pit west of the village and 14 hills, of which several are large: Grifshøj at Hvirring, somewhat remade into a garden hill, Gulbjerghøj and Grønhøj at Rask Gammelmark, Låddenhøj in Rask skov, 4 hills nortwest of Honum and two hills north of Trebjerg.
Demolished or destroyed: a long dolmen in Rask skov and 98 hills, of which a large part were in a belt, which went east-west through the parish from north of Trebjerg across Hvirring, Honum and Rask Gammelmark to the Gudenå river valley.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Hvirring (1323 Hwiruingh, 1492 Hwering); Honum (1447 Huorum, 1488 Hornum); Boring (1323 Borthingh); Kodallund (1348 Kodallund, 1511 Kodelundt mark); Trebjerg (1345 Thrybyærgh, 1492 Treberg (h)); Rask (1453 Rask);  Kokborg (1664 Køcke Borg).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.    

photo 2003: grethe bachmann

Eskjær, Salling, North Jutland, Viborg amt.

Eskjær, ab. 18 km north of Skive
Grinderslev sogn, Nørre herred, Viborg amt.

Eskjær was mentioned the first time in written sources in 1328, where hr. Jacob Nielsen (Gyldenstierne) of Eskjær is mentioned. The farm was later in the ownership of the family Banner. Eskild Nielsen and Peder Høg (Banner) are mentioned as owners in the middle of the 1400s. The last mentioned's son Niels Pedersen Høg became the owner of the farm. He was a wellknown man of that period. He is mentioned as rigsråd in 1487, and both king Hans and his son Christiern II used him often as public delegate. According to the Skibby Chronicle he was known as a priest-hater. Besides his public assignments Niels Høg had also time for his private interests. During the first ten years of the 16. century he gathered gradually large estates, a big part was in the neighbourhood of Eskjær. It seems he had achieved sole rights of Eskjær, although a thing-witness from 1501 indicates that his rights were denied by others.

At Niels Høg's death in 1524 his daughter Anna inherited Eskjær; she was married to Niels Jensen Rotfeld, who in 1540 transferred the farm to his son Jens Rotfeld. After his death as the last male member of the family Eskjær came to his sister Johanne, who was a widow after Hans Lykke of Havnø. She managed the farm until her death in 1577, and the son Erik Lykke took over. His son Hans Lykke got after his father's death in 1602 into a debt up to his ears; the farm was taken over by the creditors and forever taken from the Lykke-family. The new owner was Verner Parsberg, who died in 1643, and his son Niels Parsberg, married to Helle Gyldenstierne, was not an economic genius. He had to pawn Eskjær, and in 1664 it came to grev Christian Rantzau's heirs. At that time was Eskjær a large estate.

Eskjær was in 1674 incorporated into grevskabet (county) Løvenholm, but already in 1681 it was back in the ownership of the family Parsberg, since a son of the former owner, oberst Verner Parsberg, bought it. He sold however the farm in 1698 to Barbara Rantzau, but when he after the sale married the buyer, who brought him considerable riches, the sale had no practical importance. Verner Parsberg was also the owner of Skivehus, and he managed both this and Eskjær until his death in 1719. In the anecdote-litterature he was called a stupid and ignorant landjunker. (junker = German nobleman)This was undoubtedly not true; on the contrary he was one of the most active landlords in the district and one of few from the old nobility, who was able to maintain his position and also improve status in the tough times after 1660. After his death both estates were taken over by his son, ritmester Johan Parsberg, who died in 1730 the last male member of the family. He left both estates in a disrepaired state.



After Johan Parsberg Eskjær was taken over in 1735 by his stepfather gehejmeråd, president in the Supreme Court Claus Reventlow, who probably never resided at the decayed farm. He owned several manors. In 1790 he sold Eskjær to a former tenant at Krastrup, Mads Hastrup, who was the first middle-class owner. Hastrup succeeded in bringing the farm on its feet again before his death in 1761. He was also the building master of the present main building, which was built in 1761. Below the main wing in the cellar are still rests of a late Gothic building with thick walls. The cellar room has eight small cross-vaults upon three heavy, walled middle pillars. After a local legend these cellar rooms were the whereabouts of the three known witches "Thise Trolde", until they after the judgment were burned at the stake.

After Mads Hastrup's death in 1767 Eskjær was sold at auction to major Johan Chr. v. Geistler, who was married to a Lüttichau of Tjele. He was from an old German officer's-family, but he was not a skilled farmer, and he became gradually much indebted. In 1781 he sold Eskjær to the later justitsråd and generalkrigskomissær Christian Lange, who was one of that time's progressive men in agriculture and a son of another outstanding farmer, justitsråd Jens Lange of Rødkilde. He improved the neglected farm. All operations were changed, and he made some reforms of the estate in two cities/villages, where he was the sole owner. But it was not easy for him in the other part of the estate. He was involved in feuds with the other farmers, and he also insulted the peasants with his reform-eagerness.

Lange was eventually fighting with his peasants about the villeinage and the taxes, and in the posterity he was known as a bondeplager (harassing the peasants) He cheated the peasants when he measured the corn, he moved their field boundaries, and because of these misdeeds he had according to the old legend no rest in his grave; he haunted the farm, he slammed the doors and he was seen running in the Gåsemosen (moor) with the surveyer-sticks. A special legend is connected to Langesgård, which was built by him. According to royal statutory his peasants denied to bring the tax-corn to the end of the road, and when they discovered that their delivery -duty ended in the middle of Eskjær Mark (field), they just loaded the corn here. Lange swore an oath that the peasants had to bring the corn to the barn, and when this oath could not be fulfilled, he let build a barn above the unloaded corn. This barn was said to be the first beginning of Langesgård.



In 1797 Chr. Lange sold Eskjær and Langesgård to justitssekretær in Viborg, etatsråd Henrik Johan de Leth and Thomas Thomsen of Østergård, who in the following year left the common ownership and took over Langesgård. Leth sold all the peasant-property, but in 1828 the Danish state took over the farm as the holder of an unsatisfied mortgage. In 1830 was Eskjær bought by kammerråd A.C. Grønbech, and after his death it came to baron Joseph Emil Adeler. He sold in 1869 Eskjær to cand.jur. Ludvig Th. Schütte of Bygholm, after whose death in 1915 the farm was inherited by his son dr. phil Gudmund Schütte, who gave the main building a thorough restoration and built a new farm building. The area was increased, and the forest of Eskjær - which is the only worth mentioning in Salling - was re-planted. In 1953 Gudmund Schütte (+ 1958) transferred the estate to his son, Herluf Schütte, who bought more estate for Eskjær.

Source:
Danske slotte og herregårde, bd. 12, Nordvestjylland, Eskjær, af mag. art Svend Egelund.


foto Eskjær 2004: grethe bachmann

Østbirk church / Østbirk kirke, Voer herred, Skanderborg amt.

Østbirk church, ab. 15 km southwest of Skanderborg
Østbirk sogn, Voer herred, Skanderborg amt.

The large church has a probably late Romanesque nave with a late Gothic cross arm to the south and tower to the west - and a longhouse choir from the Renaissance period and a porch to the south, very rebuilt ab. 1800. The Romanesque part of the longhouse is built in granite boulder and travertine in the beginning of the 1200s, but without special details. A couple of octagonal granite pillars in the vicarage-garden, which supposedly were parts of the church portals, more likely belonged at Urup manor. In the late Gothic period was in the Romanesque nave built three cross vaults, and at its eastern end were added two cross arm chapels, of which only the southern still stands, furnished as a burial chapel. The similar north chapel, which was furnished as a burial for Peder Skram and others, was broken down in 1856. The tower is also late Gothic; it has a cross vaulted bottom room, a pointed tower arch and a staircase in the southern wall with a flat curved door.



In the medieval nave were found frescoes from the beginning of the 1500s and coat of arms for Christen Skram (+ after 1512) and Anne Reventlow. The altarpiece was brought here in 1582 from Ring kloster; it is a pretty, late Gothic carving, which according to a disappeared inscription was made in 1480 in the prioress Dorthea Lauridsdatter's time by the painter Vilhelm. It reminds in structure about Bernt Notkes high altarpiece in Århus Cathedral and has three large figures in the middle field; inside in the movable wings are lesser biblical figures and outside and upon the outer wings are well-kept biblical paintings. The altarpiece was restored in 1892. Chalice 1745 with Grabow coat of arms. An earlier chalice is now used in Yding church. The massive Renaissance candelabres were in 1577 given by Peder Skram and Elsebe Krabbe. A Romanesque granite font, unusually large with flat reliefs of two lions , dragon and a small human figure with shield or hammer. A small south German bowl ab. 1550-75. A carved sounding board in Bruskbaroque, probably a Horsens-work with painted year 1706. Very elegant pulpit in high Renaissance from the time just before 1600 with biblical reliefs, closely related to the pulpit in Århus Cathedral and probably made by its master Gert van Groningen. Later sounding board ab. 1700. Gallery in rural Rococo from ab. 1775 with finely painted allegoric pictures and figures. Two church ships from ab. 1920 and 1950, the last "Trefoldigheden." Late Romanesque bell without inscription.

Several grave memorials. Memorial at church yard for Peder Skram, a 2,5 high stone with the relief of a ship of the line. In the choir two very pretty grave stones 1) 1579 For Christen and Peder Skram, both + in 1566, with figures of warrior and boy 2) admiral Peder Skram of Urup( + 1581) and wife Elsebe Krabbe (+ 1578) with two figures, warrior and lady. The church belonged to Voer kloster in the Middle Ages.

Urup was in 1448 owned by Henrik Madsen, in 1450 by Peder Skram, whose son-in-law Erik Christensen (Fasti) is written to it in 1466-71, while the brother-in-law Christen Skram owned it 1487 and still at his death in 1512. The farm was inherited by his son rigsadmiral hr. Peder Skram (+ 1581) and his son Niels Skram (+1601), whose only child Elsebe Skram ,who was married to Eske Bille of Svanholm (+ 1608) dissipated all her estate. Later owners Corfitz Ulfeld, Groeben, Gyldencrone, Gersdorff, v. Pentz, Stjernholm, Trampe, Soelberg, Schmidten, Kiær, Bremer, Mørck, Juhl, Høgdall. Owner from 1943 A. Enggaard.


Julianelyst

Julianelyst, a copy of the main building in the pond.

Sophielyst (Julianelyst) was established by Ulrik Christian Schmidten, it got name after his wife and was sold to baron Ove Henrik Juul of Rysensten, who after his wife gave it the name Julianelyst. Owner 1947 J.T.Jørgensen.

Lillerup in Ovsted was by Peder Skram transferred to Østbirk sogn; it was for a long time under Urup. In 1795 Ulrik Christian Schmidten sold it to kancelliråd Anders Kruse in Horsens and Erik Chr. Grave Hoppe. From 1957 H.A. Friis.

Birknæs was pawned by the Crown in 1563 to mayor Christoffer Skaaning in Horsens. 1790 it was a farm under Urup, later divided into two farms.

Peder Skaft willed in 1264 a farm in Purup to Øm kloster, which was confirmed in 1293 by his relatives Mogens and Christian Bentsen and king Erik Menved.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Østbirk (* 1267 Byærkæ, 1345 Byørkye, 1544 Bierck szogen, Østbierck) ; Vestbirk (* 1425 Westerbierck marck, 1511 Westbierck); Sattrup (* 1471 Satrop, 1494 Sattrop); Monbjerg (* ab. 1363 Manæbyærgh, 1476 Moneberigh); Vrænge (1683 Wrenge Agre); Purup (* 1264 Pugetorp); Birknæs( * 1425 Bierckenes); Urup (* 1448 Vrup, 1487 Wrop); Lillerup ( * 1499 Lillerop marck); Tingstedholm (* 1433 Tingstedt mølle, 1568 Holms Mølle, Tingstedholm); Naldal (* 1519 Naldal, Nalldals marck).

Listed prehistorics: In Julianelyst forest a dolmen chamber without cover stone. 10 hills of which several are large: two south of Østbirk, one somewhat outdigged south of Vestbirk and one very outdigged at Lillerup.

Demolished or destroyed: 124 hills, mainly in a broad belt through the parish from south east to north west. In a hill at Vestbirk was found a grave from early Bronze age with sword, knife, flint, gold ring etc. - At Monbjerg was found a strange richly decorated bone knife. In Sattrup Mose were found 150 neck- and arm rings in bronze from Celtic Iron Age. An early Roman period grave with two bronze casseroles were found at Monbjerg.

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.


photo Østbirk church 2004: grethe bachmann