Vidstrup church/ Vidstrup kirke, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring amt.

Vidstrup church,  ab. 5 km northwest of Hjørring.

The church in Vidstrup has a Romanesque choir and nave and a late Gothic porch to the north. The Romanesque building, the choir and nave, is built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, in some places a hollow plinth. The straight-edged north door is in use, while the south door, which does not break the plinth, is traceable. The church inside, upon the east wall of the choir, has a large bricked-up round arched window, while all other windows are remade in present time, like the gable point of the west wall which is re-bricked with little bricks. Inside is the round choir arch kept with profiled kragsten, but without any visible plinth. The nave and choir have beamed ceilings,  and the flat round arched windows are probably from the 1800s. The porch is a pretty late Gothic building from the reformation period. Its flat curved door is framed by a high glare with twin round arches in the stepped gable.

Vidstrup church, wikipedia.

A part of the granite plate from a Romanesque communion table with a reliquary is inserted inside the west wall of the porch. The altarpiece is basically a Lutheranian triptychon, but now without original details. In the last second half of the 1700s was added a top piece in rural Rococo, and in 1913 was inserted in the middle field a copy of a biblical painting by C. Bloch. The earlier altar painting from the 1700s (the Crucifixion)  hangs in the church.  A Romanesque granite font, semicircular shaped upon a cubic capital. A smooth dish, probably from the 1700s. The pulpit from 1696 is a rich carving in late Renaissance. An early Romanesque bell, before in a ball frame at the west gable, now in a new freestanding frame north of the church . In the east wall of the porch is inserted a granite stone with a rope-winding and engraved decoration, probably a piece of a Romanesque gravestone.


Dalsgård was in the 1400s - when it was also called Vidstrupgård - a noble farm, belonging to rigsråd hr. Axel Lagesen (Brock)'s  (+ 1498) parents, but by them pawned to bailiff at Kokkedal, Thord Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund), who in 1459-86 wrote himself of D; in 1499 is mentioned a Niels Nol in D., probably a tenant-peasant, since the above mentioned Axel Lagesen (Brock) in 1485 and 1490 had released D. from Knud Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund) (+ 1484) 's widow, Sofie Mortensdatter (Seefeld) (+ earliest 1502) and their son Thomas Thordsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund)(+ earliest 1494), who furthermore in 1485 - 88 wrote himself of D., and the priest in Aggersborg Peder Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund)( + earliest 1502). Later D. was a peasant farm under Kærsgård, but it was in 1667 laid out from Enevold Kruse to Ebbe Gyldenstierne. In 1688 D was a tenant farm.

In Tofte is in 1427 mentioned a Maren Pedersdatter, probably a widow after Nisse Thomsen (Sehested)( + earliest 1418). His son's son væbner Thomas Jensen (Sehested) wrote himself in T. in 1481-1501, but also of Vellingshøj. A nobleman Høvd Henriksen who had a socalled marekors (pentagram)  in his coat of arms, is mentioned in 1467-70.  T. was in 1662 a peasant farm under Asdal, where it still was in 1794, but it was divided into 4 farms at that time.
 
Listed prehistorics: At Tofte an 85 long longdolmen which to the east ends in a round hill; 5 big holes are probably from removed chambers. At Tofte are also two hills, of which one is rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 6 hills.

In a moor was found a collection of 12 flint planks.

Names from the Middle Ages:  Vidstrup (1416 Wibestrop, 1419 Wigelstorp, 1459 Viistrop); Tofte (1467 Thoftæ, Toffthe); Dalsgårde (1452 Dall, 1459 Dalsgard, 1490 Wistrup Dall).


See:
photo-collection of Vidstrup church 
 


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


    

Torslev church/ Torslev kirke, Øster Han herred, Hjørring amt.

Torslev church, ab. 20 km west of Aalborg, Google earth.

The large Torslev church has a choir and nave from the Romanesque period,  a late Gothic western extension, and tower and two modern additions: porch and burial chapel, to the north. The choir and nave are in granite ashlars above a profiled double plinth. A priest's door upon the north side of the choir was re-opened in 1895; the round arched north door is also kept, while the south door is bricked-up. A tympanum with biblical symbols and a frame stone with a pillar, which ends in a male head, is now at the National Museum. In the nave are two Romanesque windows in use, a south window is bricked-up, and several Romanesque window lintels are inserted in  random places in the walls. ( also in the west wall of the tower. ) The round choir arch has a profiled plinth and kragbånd.

Torslev church, wikipedia

The late medieval building section rests upon a richly profiled granite plinth, which like a cubic pillar base might origin from a Romanesque ashlar tower with a front hall. This tower was broken down in the late Middle Ages, the nave was extended to the west and the present tower was built in re-used ashlars and large yellow monk bricks. At the north side of the tower is a contemporary stairhouse. The upper section of the tower was re-walled in 1841, and the height was minimized with ab. 2 m, the original peepholes are now seen as glares in the roof gables. A point arched opening connects the nave and the tower.  The tower room  has like the western extension an original octagonal vault, and similar vaults are built in choir and nave. The porch (from ab. 1870) and the similar but younger burial chapel and a connected room are in small red bricks. The brickwork of the tower walls is white washed , the other walls are blank. The roofworks are with slate. The floor in the choir is black-yellow tiles, the floor in the nave is yellow bricks and planks.

Interior: 

Torslev church, wikipedia.

The altarpiece was set up in 1634 by Karen Galde of Kokkedal, whose paternal and maternal coat of arms are at the postament, in the altarpiece are used figures from a late Gothic triptychon  from the beginning of the 1500s. The altar chalice was given in 1682 by Gude Parsberg and Karen Krag, and improved in 1728 by Diderik Braës of Kokkedal. The oblate box was given in 1701  fru Ingeborg Cathrine Lugge of Kokkedal; the wine jar by Didr. Braës and fru Ingeborg Seefeld in 1693. Wrought iron altar railings from ab. 1700. A Romanesque granite font. The pulpit is a carved work from the same time as the altarpiece and is like this equipped with figures (apostles) from the Gothic altarpiece.  The pulpit and the altarpiece were restored in 1935 in connection with a repair of the interior. Upon four pew-gables are the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Børge Rosenkrantz and Karen Galde. New chandeliers. An organ in the tower room. Bells: 1) late medieval with minuskel-inscription ; 2)  a new, cast by L.Andersen, Århus. A bell given by Frands Banner in 1570 was in a cracked condition delivered to the National Museum.

Memorials: 
Fru Ingeborg Seefeld let in 1698 the tower room separate from the nave with a wrought iron door and furnish into a family burial; her own sandstone epitaph is set up upon the wall and a marble epitaph for Anders Kierulf of Sødal upon the north wall. Upon the north wall of the nave are two oval limestone tablets, one for the Dean Anders Olsen, (+ 1685), set up 1697 by Dean Jørgen Hansen, another for Maren Nielsdatter (+ 1694), and her two husbands, Rasmus Ottesøn (+ 1646) and Pors Lavissøn (+ 1705). A Romanesque gravestone with the name Thormod and an image of the life-tree is inserted high in the south wall of the nave.  Two large gravestones, upright in the choir ( portrait stones) for Erik Banner of Kokkedal (+ 1483) and his son, rigsmarsk Erik Banner (+ 1554) with his two wives, Mette Rosenkrantz (+ 1533) and Margrethe Gyldenstierne (+ 1554). Upon the church yard several old gravestones along the northern dike.

Kokkedal, wikipedia.

Kokkedal is mentioned the first time in 1407 and was owned by væbner Anders Albretsen (Stenbrikke), probably his father Albret Andersen (Stenbrikke)(+ earliest 1386) and even his paternal grandfather Anders Aagesen (Stenbrikke) owned it too, but there is no proof of this. Anders Albretsen's son Gotskalk Andersen (Stenbrikke) m. to Kirsten Eriksdatter Gyldenstierne, wrote himself of K. in 1432, likewise their son Niels Godskesen in 1450, who died unmarried. Fru Kirsten (+ earliest 1468) brought thereafter the farm by a new marriage to rigsråd hr Anders Nielsen (Banner)  of Asdal, Frejstrupgård was now probably laid under K. Before hr Ander's death in 1486 the son Erik Andersen Banner, who in 1479 wrote himself of K., died latest 1483, his widow Karen Stensdatter Gøye (+ earliest 1527) m. 2) to hr. Niels Høg of Eskær etc. (+ 1524) who likewise wrote himself of K. in 1479. At hr Ander's death in 1486 his daughter Anne Andersdatter Banner (+ latest 1490) renounced her right in K. in favor of her brother's children of whom the later rigsråd  and rigsmarsk Erik Eriksen Banner of Asdal etc. became the sole owner of K. He let build new main buildings (Christian III visited K. in 1546). The farm and estate was at his death in 1554 inherited by his son Frands Banner, who also bought Ø  Kloster ( now Oksholm), after his death in 1575 K. went to his daughter Karen Banner (+ 1616), m. 1580 to Henrik Lykke of Overgård etc. (+ 1611). Later the farm came to their son Frands Lykke (+ 1655), who in 1649 exchanged it to Karen Galde. She married after 1656 the much younger Børge Rosenkrantz of Ørup etc. (+ 1679) , but lived separated from him, she resided at K. where she died in 1671. Farm and estate went to her sister Anne Galde of Nørlund (+ 1680), m. to Verner Frederiksen Parsberg of Vrå. At his death in 1686 his son Gude Parsberg inherited (+ 1692) K., but he sold in 1691 the main farm and taxes and som estate to Palle Rantzau of Bratskov, who died the same year. His widow Ingeborg Seefeld married -  the same year - justitsråd Diderik Chr. Braës, she died already in 1695, he died in 1748, when K. came to his son (of 2 marriage to Ingeborg Cathrine Lugge) Peder Enevold Braës, enobled 1733, (+ 1771).

Later owners: Lars Johan Jelstrup, Christen Hviid, Jacob Ludvig v. Fischer-Benzon, 1818 entailed estate Kokkedal - Morten Leth Hastrup, Adolf Hein, Hans Chr. Øckenholt, Peter Schrøder, Rudolf Bruun, Jørgen Chr. Julius Vilh Bruun, S.P.Sørensen -  konsortium -  owner from 1917-1923 prince Erik, V.A. Boyer, N. Th C. Isager, Elisabeth Isager, 1952 the State : foundation of a boys' home.

After 1960: 1948-1976) Socialministeriet; (1976-1988) Nordjyllands Amt, (1988-) Ann Vibeke Lokdam / Gorm Lokdam

Kokkedal Slot  today: (from wikipedia and Magasin Søndag May 2013).
High upon a hill lies Kokkedal slot with a beautiful view across the Limfjord. It is whitewashed, with a red tiled roof and a tower with a copper spire -and surrounded by moats. The buildings were very dilapidated when the married couple Ann Vibeke and Gorm Lokdam bought the estate in 1988, but today Kokkedal is included in their chain of castle hotels. At Kokkedal are 20 individually furnished suites with fourposter beds and 8 holiday houses in the park. The menu in the restaurant is inspired by the authentic slotskøkken and the local commodities of the season. The beefsteaks come from Kokkedal's own Angus cattle and the hunting system delivers the game 


In the Frejstrupmarken southwest of Kokkedal was Frejstrupgård situated (1491 Frystrup, 1638 Frestrup). According to legendary notes in Sophie Brah'es family book F. belonged to a Niels Torstensen (Rotfeld), who possibly is identical with another Niels Torstensen, who was historically attested in 1324 in another connection.  During the peasant revolt in 1441 F. was burnt down and the owner Niels Ovesen was killed, the land was later laid under Kokkedal. The informations in HofmanFund IV 1759. 374 about F.'s owners are unhistorical.

The site of Frejstrupgård is seen as a low bank southwest of Kokkedal in the Frejstrupdalen (a valley). Upon the bank, which never seems to have been surrounded by moats, have been found bricks.

Alsbjerggård was already in the 1300s a noble farm to which Niels Jensen (Seeefeld)( ? ) 1371-1401 wrote himself. His daughter Karen Nielsdatter (Seefeld), widow after Vogn Jepsen (Vognsen of Stenshede)( + latest 1450 )owned the farm in 1450. In 1456-1463 Laurids Dan (Dansøn) wrote hiself of A. Svend Saxstrup owned A in 1470 (or a part of A.), but in the end of the 1400s Karen Lauridsdatter Dan and her husband Jep Jensen (Skovgaard) must have owned a part of the farm, which from them came to their son Jørgen Jepsen Skovgaard of Skovgaard (Brusk herred )(+ 1557). 
Later owners: Hans Skovgaard, Johan Skovgaard, Henrik Lykke, Frands Lykke, Karen Galde. In 1585 ( or in 1539) Alsbjerggård was divided into 4 farms.

In the middle of Alsbjerg village is a disturbed site of the old Alsbjerggård, an irregular place surrounded by lowerings. Some monk bricks were found on the site. Some graves are mentioned in the late 1800s.

According to an unprovable tradition was a nunnery at Torslev church in the Middle Ages, Styvels kloster, where the nuns in ab. 1520 were moved to Ø kloster. Late local legends mention also a monastery with an underground connection to Ø kloster. - The name Styvel ("Styvelet" was later used about a hospital for poor people,which was established in 1740 by Diderik Chr. Braës.  It is certain that southeast of the church hill and south of the church were several old brick buildings.

Torslev Holme (Overholm and Nederholm) was from the old days a common meadow for the old farms in Torslev, Årup and Flegum and the farm Haven, but with specific parts for each farm. After 1 August the grazing rights belonged to the farms in Vesterby in common. After the building of the dam Attrup-Øland the old community stopped.  (1927)
 
Listed prehistorics: At Alsbjerg the passage grave Hvisselhøj which is unique. It has 3 chambers, one behind the other and all connected by door openings. An entrance leads to the outernest and longest chamber. In the passage grave were found several flint axes, flint daggers, clay pots and amber pearls. Furthermore is listed a longhill and 36 hills, mainly in the western section of the parish, several are rather large, like Uglehøj at Alsbjerg and at Årupgård are two large, one lesser hill and a longhill, the only left from a group of 12. 
Demolished or destroyed: 42 hills, almost all upon the hillside in the middle part of the parish. In one were found a woman's grave from early Bronze Age with pieces of cloth and a belt plate.

In Arup kær was found a depot from *Dolktid with 2 flint daggers and 12 scythes.

*Dolktid = 2.300-1.700 B.C.

Names from the Middle Ages: Torslev (1307 Torslef, 1447 Torsleff, Thorsleff); Attrup (1462 Attrup); Alsbjerg (1371 Alsbergh); Flegum (1584 Fligum, 1585 Flegom); Årup (1418 Aarthorp, Ordrup); Kokkedal (1407 Kockedal) Haven (1560 Havgen). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.     

     





  

Saltum church/ Saltum kirke, Hvetbo herred, Hjørring amt.

Saltum church, ab.25 km south of Hjørring.

Saltum parish, Hvetbo herred, Hjørring amt. 

The large high placed church in Saltum - inaugurated to Sct. John the Baptist and Sct Nicolaus -  has now a longhouse with a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The nave is Romanesque and built in granite ashlars upon a profiled plinth. To the west it was equipped with a tower, which vaulted tower room with large niches to the south and north was connected to the nave in an arcade arch. A simlar arch is seen in the present west wall of the nave. The tower, which possibly reminded about the tower in Hee church, was in 1950 examined by National Museum. In the late Middle Ages the Romanresque choir and apse were broken down, the choir was rebuilt in the same broadth as the nave, but without apse. The curved plinth-stones from the apse were re-used as plinth-stones in the north and east wall of the choir. The walls of the nave were partly rebuilt and enheightened with bricks, and vaults were built in. The original south door is still used, the north door is bricked-up. Some original windows are kept. The Romanesque tower was replaced by a Gothic tower, which was added west of the old tower - and at the same time the Romanesque tower room was incorporated in the nave. The Gothic tower is built in granite ashlars at the bottom, in the upper section in monk bricks, and it has glare-decorated gables west-east. The vaulted tower room, which is separated from the nave, is now used as a burial chapel. Entrance to the upper storey from a stair-house on the west wall. The rebuilt choir is vaulted with a rib vault, the rest of the longhouse is covered in 4 vaults. The nave is lead roofed, the porch and tower are tiled. The church was restored 1959-60.

Frescoes:
The vault of the choir and the north wall are covered with late Gothic frescoes, which were restored in 1911 and 1960. Upon the north wall the Family tree of Christ ("Jesse rod"). In the vault-"caps", which were never white washed, is foliage with flowers and with little jester-pictures (called: "drölerier"), humans, birds etc. Some are rather indecent.

Interior:
A bricked altar ,upon which a large late Gothic crucifix group, restored 1912 with a life-size Christ-figure and lesser figures of Maria and John (Johannes). Upon an earlier chalice from 1685 was an inscription "burned with the vicarage 15/5 1677", a similar inscription upon the dish. Both burned later in 1887 with the vicarage. A Romanesque granite font, the foot is new. A richly carved font-sounding board in Renaissance from ab. 1600. A South German baptismal dish from ab. 1600. A pulpit in oak in Renaissance from the late 1500s with carved reliefs in the fields and with Otto Banner's and Ingeborg Skeel's coat of arms, the priest Niels Nielsen and wife's names and herredsfoged (bailiff) Peder Segelsen's trademark. A contemporary sounding board in pine. The doors of the pews on the women's side are Renaissance work, they are contemporary with the sounding board of the font and likewise made in Aalborg. Upon the north wall of the nave in a new cupboard is placed a late Gothic triptychon. Behind the organ a late Gothic bishop-figure. Bell from 1663, cast by Baltzer Melchior, recast in 1936.

NEWS: The late Gothic triptychon in the cupboard has later been moved to the altar - and the altar crucifix and figures hang on the wall.

Gravestones:
In the choir wall a Romanesque tombstone from ab. 1200 with inscription "Thurgeif pater rvr (= reverendus) iacet sub petra" . In the choir also a gravestone for 1) priest Just Valentinsen Fulda ,+ 1689; 2) priest Jacob Lauridsen Holm (+ 1717) and wife, 3) the same priest's three children. In the choir-floor gravestone for priest Christen Jensen Krabbe, + 1581. At the porch fragments of gravestone for priest Thøger Poulsen, + 1636.


Vestrupgård was originally a peasant farm, which in 1631 belonged to Jørgen Arenfeldt of Rugård and Voergård (+ 1658), but soon after him came Falk Gøye of Bratskov (+ 1643), who 1633 gave Niels Pallesen Friis of Vadskærgård a life's letter of V., where he lived from 1634 until his death 1657, also after Falk Gøye deeded it in 1642 to Knud Enevoldsen Seefeld of Bjørnkær and Lundergård (+ latest 1683). In 1663 he sold the farm -  maybe only formally - to his bailiff Søren Nielsen, whose widow Maren Pedersdatter took it over after his death 1667; but in 1668 two of Knud Seefeld's creditors, dr. med. Niels Benzon in Aalborg (+ 1674) and fru Dorte Daa of Kolbygård etc. (+ 1675), widow after governor in Norway, rigsråd Gregers Krabbe (of Østergård) of Torstedlund etc. (+ 1655), importation in V., who in 1670 was shared between two tenants, one was fru Karen Friis (of Haraldskær), married to above mentioned Knud Seefeld, she had in 1672 to move from her part of the farm. Fru Dorte's daughter Ingeborg Krabbe (of Østergård), married to oberst Holger Trolle of Rygård (+ 1686) sold 1698 his part of V. to herredsskriver Anders Sørensen (+ 1706), who also bought the part owned by Niels Benzon's heirs. He deeded the farm in 1705 to the priest in Saltum Jakob Lauridsen Holm, after whose death 1717 his widow Anne Marie Christensdatter lived at V. until this farm on auction in 1718 was sold to Søren Andersen Westrup in Saltum, a son of above mentioned Anders Sørensen. At his death in 1724 his heirs sold the same year V. with mill and two houses to his sister-in-law Margrethe Kjeldsdatter, who next year married Peder Nielsen of Bolskifte.

Later owners: Jens Svendsen Bondrup; Niels Rasmussen Lund; Conrad Hachild; Jens Andersen Gleerup; Jesper Chr. Østergaard; Johanne Brøndlund; Laurs Svendsen Hviid; Claus Holmer Green; Mads Hastrup and Jens Gleerup; Bartholomæus Hasselbalch; Hans Thorlund Hasselbalch; Niels Chr. Christensen Rendbeck; Niels Rendbeck in 1960.


Saltumgård (in present time also called Storgård) in Sønder Saltum belonged from the late 1400s members of the families Mørk from Saltum and Kjærulf, of whom several were herredsfogeder (bailiffs):  Laurs Mørk (+ latest 1534); Vogn Hansen Mørk (+ 1606), Peder Selgersen (Sørensen) Kjærulf (+ 1631); m. to Inger Mørk. About 1695 1/2 of S. was sold to Valentin Valentinsen de Fulda. In the middle of the 1700s the farm was owned by skudehandler (ships trading)  in Blokhus Jens Svendsen Bondrup, who bought some peasant estate, which made S. into a main farm. He deeded in 1752 farm and estate to his son, ship-trader in Løkken Søren Jensen Bondrup, who in 1756 resided here and died at the farm 1765.
Later owners: Jens Andersen Gleerup; Jesper Chr. Østergaard; Ove Nikolaj Møller; Christen Nielsen Møller; Andreas Agerbech Koefoed; Karen Johanne Kruse; Julius Martinus Nors. (1847) 

Tinghøj, north of Saltum church

At the Tinghøjene on Over Jonstrup Mark (a field) a little north of Saltum kirke was from the end of the Middle Ages until 1688 held a Thing: Hvetbo herredsting, sometimes in bad weather it was held in the church , in the porch (which was forbidden in 1631). Only one hill is kept, the other was demolished 1858 during road work. There is a memorial at the thing place, raised in 1935.





Listed prehistorics: 5 hills, of which the large Tinghøj (1638 Tinghøjene) north of Saltum church and the two Galgehøje southwest of the church.
Demolished or destroyed: 52 hills and a longhill; especially around the church and at Ejersted were many hills. At Vestrupgård was found a stone grave from early Roman period.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Saltum (1264 Saltum); Nr. Saltum (1452 Nørre Saltum); Sdr. Saltum (1396 Sønder Saltum); Østrup (1464 Østrup); Fårup (1460 Fardrup); Torpe (1456 Thorp, Thorpet); Over Jonstrup (1582 Jonstruppe); Ejersted (1340 Egerstad, 1350 Eyerstet); Bunken (1662 Østrup Buncker); Vestrupgård (1471 Westrup, 1487 Westergaardtt); Drustrup (1610 Druestrup); Villerupgård (1688 Willerup Gård).

   
Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.

photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb.




  


  

Skærvad, Djursland, East Jutland, Randers amt,

Skærvad, ab. 10 km west of Grenå
Ginnerup sogn, Djurs Nørre herred, Randers amt.

Hr. Ture Knudsen of the family Dyre died ab. 1385; he owned Skærvad together with another nobleman by the name of Vilhelm Svave , but had before his death transferred it to queen Margrethe, who in 1386 conveyed it to hr. Jens Andersen of the later wellknown nobility family Brock from Gammel Estrup. He had contrary to his mother Johanne Brock supported Valdemar Atterdag and even been his drost for a while. Queen Margrethe undoubtedly trusted him, and Erik of Pommern confirmed her deed in the year 1400. Jens Andersen died in 1408, and his estates were shared among the heirs. When his son Jens Jensen was killed in 1404, Skærvad came to his son Lave Jensen Brock, who died in 1435; he also owned Clausholm. This farm came with Skærvad to the son Axel Lavesen Brock. Axel Lavesen was not the sole owner of Skærvad, hr. Svend Udsen had also a share, which with his daughter came to her husband hr. Niels Munk (Bjælke-Munk) of Sostrup and Brusgaard (died ab. 1460). Axel Lavesen bought him out in 1455 after having rented out Skærvad a year before to the væbner Niels Munk of Ballebo. Hr. Axel had probably manor enough in the much more prosperous Clausholm - furthermore he owned the manor Græsegård at Sjælland. Skærvad was already in the Middle Ages a secondary manor, where the owners almost never lived.

Hr. Axel Lavesen Brock died 1498 as rigsråd and one of this period's greatest landowners; his only child Pernille Axelsdatter Brock had already died, her husband Albrecht Engelbrechtsen of the family Bydelsbak had also died; but their daughter Mette Albrechtsdatter Bydelsbak inherited Skærvad among much else estate and was the last member of the family Bydelsbak, when she died in 1513. She left heirs in her marriage with the very famous rigsråd and rigens hofmester (master at court) hr. Mogens Gjøe, they had not less than 7 children. The large estate was now being spread. One of the children, fru Elline Gjøe made a fine memory for her parents in 1552 by collecting letters in a jordebog (= with description of estates) , named "Eline Gøyes jordebog" with informations about Skærvad. When comparing other farms it is obvious that Skærvad (the economy) was at least fourfold a large peasant-farm . The original Skærvad was situated at Skærvad Mill, where a castle bank with a moat and outside this another bank is traceable. Here was in the 1700s the bailiff's house, while a half-timbered four-winged farm was east of this; old fish ponds bear also witness of earlier buildings.


Skærvad came to Eline's sister Ide Gjøe, who by marriage brought it to Otte Ottesen Rosenkrantz of Næsbyholm; he died 1557, fru Ide in 1563. Skærvad was inherited by the daughter Sophie Rosenkrantz, who died in 1571; she was survived by her husband, rigsråd Jakob Enevoldsen Seefeld of Visborggård, who died 1599 after in 1586 having bought the manor Sostrup, whic was situated in the same herred as Skærvad. The son Enevold Seefeld owned Skærvad in the first time, then his brother Hans Seefeld, who in 1608 also achieved Sostrup. He sold the farms in 1612 and 1613 to rigsmarsk Jørgen Skeel, who via his marriage to Jytte Brock got part in hr. Eske Brock's large estate, first of all Gammel Estrup with additional peasant-estate. Jørgen Skeel died 1631, Jytte Brock in 1640. Their son Christen Jørgensen Skeel inherited the large estate, where Skærvad was only a smaller main farm, but it came with Sostrup for a long time."Go together like Sostrup and Skærvad" was and expression which probably came from this. The legend says that Hans Seefeld gambled these farms away.

After Christen Skeel the Rich's death in 1688 the son Jørgen Skeel inherited the two farms together with much other estate, which after his death in 1695 came to his son Christen Skeel , who was born in his father's year of death. He founded a grevskab (county) Scheel from the main farms Sostrup, Skærvad, Ørbækgård and Skjern with additional peasant-estate. After this the family in this line called themselves Scheel. The son Jørgen greve Scheel took since over the grevskabet (county); he achieved the highest positions and titles inside the court, and died in 1786. He was probably the one who built the present half-timbered buildings. The county came at his death in 1786 to his paternal grandson Jørgen; the son Christian greve Scheel had died in 1771 as Danish minister in Skt. Petersborg. Grev Jørgen was still under age, but later drew attention to himself by his extravagance and his unwise economy; he is portrayed in a book " En Greve." (author: Hugo Matthiessen). He succeeded in destroying the county after it had existed ab. 100 years.


Both Sostrup and Skærvad was bought by the Danish State, and in 1829 the State conveyed the two manors together with Ørbækgård for 230.000 rigsbankdaler silver to ritmester (captain of horse) Jacob von Benzon. In 1829 was established a new entailed estate named Benzon. Skærvad was in 1840 sold to Chr. Fr.O.v. Benzon, who had the estate a few years only. After some changes of ownership Skærvad came in 1856 to the brothers Christian Frederik Carøe and grosserer Johan Fr. Carøe. Chr. Fr. Carøe took care of the farm management and lived there. He was a skilled and progressive farmer who in his time as a lessee in Vendsyssel had introduced the first threshing machine in 1848 in Vendsyssel. Skærvad was now known for its fine stock of pure Jutland dairy cattle and its fine malt barley. He was one of the leading farmers of the district and the education of young farmers at Skærvad was highly valued, a large circle of these raised a memorial stone for him in Skærvad skov. After this his brother Joh. Fr. Carøe owned the farm, but died already in 1893, and it was taken over by his children, grossererne Nicolai and Carl Johan Carøe, Reverend Martin Carøe and Augusta Christiane Trock-Jansen, née Carøe. In 1912 it was sold to proprietær J.Skriver. In 1920 it was sold to Randers Amts Udstykningsforening (Union for outparcelling), which in 1921 let outparcel 17 small-holdings from Skærvad's land. More outparcelling was done later. Owner in 1957 fru G. Bøystrup.

owners today: Lone and Bror Moldrup

Skærvads web-site:
The farm was in 2006-2008 renovated and rebuilt by Lone Moldrup. The rebuild includes a large riding ground-plan and a manor-stable. From one of the old buildings, where Lone Moldrup in 2007 decided to replace most of the timber framing and the roof - there is a view to the old castle bank, the terraces, the path-system and the old carp ponds, which gave fresh fish to the castle during the winter season.


foto Skærvad Marts 2009: grethe bachmann

Visborg church / Visborg kirke and Visborggård, Hindsted herred, Aalborg amt.

Visborg Church, 4 km northeast of Hadsund
Visborg sogn, Hindsted herred, Aalborg amt

The impressive church in Visborg, situated upon a hill with a slope to the south and west,has a rather unusual building history, since the original Romanesque church is almost totally rebuilt during the Renaissance period. It has the rests of a Romanesque nave with a tower from the Reformation period and a choir-part, sacristi, chapel and porch, probably all from the 1590s. The tower has a cross-vaulted bottom room and a flat-curved tower arch. A very pretty flat-curved window to the west shows a close connection to the porch-portal in Astrup Church, dating the tower to the 1540s. The building was renovated in 1943.

The rich inventory is mainly marked by the Renaissance. The altar piece on the re-built communion table is from ab. 1600, given by Sophie Bille with the coat of arms of Rosenkrantz, Seefeld and Bille. The original painting was brought back after a renovation. Altar-rails in wrought iron from ab. 1600. In the choir are two pairs of choir-stools, each with four seats and carved gable-planks with extraordinally coarse animal figures in high relief. South German baptismal bowl from 1575 with the Habsburg-coat of arms. Pulpit from the same time and with the same coat of arms as the altarpiece. The pews are from various periods 1) 1570 with the coat of arms of Johanne Nielsdatter Rotfeld of Havnø ; 2) from 1574; 3) from 1587 with the coat of arms of Jakob Seefeld and wives; 4) from 1636.



A glazed tile with the year 1585 was found in the floor in the renovation in 1943, it is now on the wall of the nave. Small chandelier from 1721, given by ritmester Jakob Kjærulf. A door wing is between the porch and nave , iron bound with the year 1592. A painting "The Coppersnake in the Desert" from the 1700s hangs in the chapel. Church bells: 1) from the beginning of the 1400s, small without inscription; 2) from 1672, given by Birgitta Urne and Claus Seefeld. Church Ship: Warship "Hendrik Harren" from ab. 1850.

The church is rich in burials, under the sacristi and the choir were large burial vaults, which have now been cleared. In the sacristi are sandstone coffins with colonel Andreas Arenstorff, + 1764, and his wife Sophie Marie von Schiebel, + 1761. From earlier funerals are several plates and some armour-pieces on the walls. A a coffin plank - which was a piece from a wardrobe-chest from 1585 with the coat of arms of Oluf Krognos and Anna Hardenberg - is at Aalborg Museum. Above some wooden-grating doors is a large family-group picture painted in 1600 imaging Jakob Seefeld and his wives and children. Several gravestones, for families Seefeld, Rosenkrantz, Bille from the 1600s.

Visborggård


Visborggård belonged in 1343 and 1351 to Anders Nielsen, in 1401 to Jens Nielsen Munk (Vinranke-Munk), possibly Anders Nielsen's brother; in 1408 and 1422 to their sons Niels Andersen and Mads Jensen (Munk). After Mads Jensens' death ab. 1442 it came to his son hr. Jens Madsen Munk, + 1501, who was the owner from 1445. After him V. went to his son's sons Jens and Jakob Munk, but they died childless, and V. with 37 farms and 16 bol (small farms) came to their mother Inger Andersdatter Bjørn, married 2) with Jens Thygesen Seefeld , + before 1537. In 1534 Visborggård was burnt down by Skipper Klement and his peasant army. After Enevold Jensen Seefeld , + 1557, it came to his son Jakob Seefeld, + 1599, . After his death his widow Sophie Bille was the manager of his many estates until her death in 1608. After the family Seefeld during the 1600s various owners , families Urne, Svane, Benzon, Arenstorff, etc. Since 1938 Visborggård is a home for the mentally sick.


Visborggård, the sandstone-portal

The main building is listed in class A. It is surrounded by broad moats. A three-winged plan, dominated by the south wing, a fine Renaissance-building, built in 1575-76 by Jakob Seefeld. The walls are red monkbricks upon a tall granite-plinth which stands directly in the moat without a bank, except around the gable and the side-winges where is an area between moat and wall. The facade is flanked by octagonal corner-towers. The tall cellar has windows in the shape of arrow slits. A rich sandstone portal in high Renaissance with plate with the coat of arms of Jakob Seefeld and his two wives decorates the entrance gate . Above the gate was once an enormous gate tower, and all walls had cornices; the disappeared gables were decorated with sandstone. Fragments are kept in a cellar-room at Visborggård. Jakob Seefeld's building plan was very impressive, the still preserved wing was connected to two side wings, an eastern and western - and the legend says - probably true -that it had seven towers, besides the others were stairway towers in the inside corners, and at the northern gables were corner towers . The stairway towers are still traceable.

A painting at V. (portrait of Claus Seefeld) from 1668 shows the towers equipped with spires and the building with weather vanes in the form of jumping deer. The original side wings were probably demolished ab. 1730. Various changes during the years. Some loft-paintings are preserved . A terracotta-fireplace is at the National Museum. Opposite the bridge which replaced the original drawbridge are two sandstone bears with the coat of arms of the family Arenstorff.

The sandstone-portal and a French-inspired Baroque-garden are the attractions of Visborggård. Public access to the court yeard and the garden.

Havnø


Havnø was in 1468 owned by hr. Jens Madsen Munk (Vinranke-Munk) of Visborggård , +1501. With his daughter Eline it came to Hans Lykke , + before 1511, and his children hr. Peder Lykke, + 1535, and Erik Lykke, whose widow Anne Kaas (Sparre-Kaas) had it by law 1541. Their son Hans Lykke, + 1553, owned Havnø, and after him his widow Johanne Nielsdatter Rotfeld of Eskær, + 1577, and son Erik Lykke, + 1602. After his widow Dorothea Krabbe Havnø came to Iver Christoffersen Lykke between 1609 and 1614. Various owners, families: Seefeld, Krag, Rosenkrantz, Benzon, Sehested etc. Some outparcelling.


Havnø Mølle

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Visborg ( ab. 1343 Wisburgh, 1351 Wisborgh, 1401 Wæsebwrgh); Glerup (*1456 Glerup); Strandkær (1552 Strandkiergord); Glargårde (1571 Glashytten, 1664 Glargaarden); Møllegårde (1664 Møllgaarden); Visborggård *1456 Wiszborggaardt); Havnø (*1468 Haffnøe, Hannøe, 1477 Haffneøø, Haffuenøø) .

The Thing was earlier at Visborggård, in ab. 1680 and 1743 it is mentioned in Visborg By. (town)

Upon the road between Visborg and Visborggård is a small hill with trees and a memorial stone for the white horse which the king, Christian X, rode across the border on the tenth of July in 1920. (Genforeningen).The owner of the horse was grev Danneskiold-Samsøe of Visborggård.

Listed prehistorics: One longhill and 22 hills.
Demolished or destroyed: 16 hills

Important kitchen middens from Ertebølle-kulturen are known from Havnø (Lundebakke, Visborg Bjergbakke). In a moor by Glerup was an important sacrifice-finding from Bronze Age . Several stone graves from early Roman Iron Age, one at Møllebakken in Visborg and a weapon-grave at Glerup.

Source: Trap Danmark, Aalborg amt, 1961.


photo Visborg kirke/Visborgård 2003-2007: grethe bachmann

Bejstrup church / Bejstrup kirke, Øster Han herred, Hjørring amt

Bejstrup church, ab. 10 km southeast of Fjerritslev
Bejstrup sogn, Øster Han Herred, Hjørring amt.


The tower is rather big for a village church. The bottom part built in granite boulders ends in a fine archade - and the upper part of the square tower is built in 'monk-bricks'. Originally the tower was entirely built in granite boulders. Notice the triangular stone mason mark above the archade.

Bejstrup village church is a socalled 'Forhalskirke' (church with a front hall/vestibule). On occasions the parish priest is arranging evening songs in candle light in the big tower hall, since it invites for special arrangements.
Bejstrup Church was in the Catholic period inaugurated to St. Nicolaus. It has a Romanesque nave and choir, a later added western tower and a late Gothic porch to the north. The nave and choir is built in granite ashlars . Three original windows are on the north side, one in the choir and two in the nave are in use, the north door too, while the south door is an inside glare. The large choir arch with profiled kragsten is preserved. In the late Middle Ages was built a cross vault in the choir. The nave has a flat beamed ceiling. The tower is an interesting piece of Romanesque architecture. The bottom storey is built in granite ashlars upon a profiled double plinth. In several ashlars are carved crosses and other figures. The outer walls are ornamented with slender round arched archade glares. A western pillar portal forms an entrance to the tower room, which is equipped as a front hall and connected to the nave in two round arched arcades, supported by one heavy square pillar. Upon one of the ashlars in this pillar is a carved a swastika.

Stone figures at the bottom of a pillar. On the corner a human face.


Chessboard Pattern
The tower room is vaulted with four cupola vaults. In the northwest corner is built-in a stairway to the next storey, where the original look is unknown, since the upper section of the tower already in the Middle Ages was completely re-built in a mix of granite boulders and bricks. Until 1874 the tower had a gable roof, and upon the south side was the year 1797. Caused by dilapidation the whole tower was demolished in 1874. The bottom section was re-built with retention of all original details, while the upper section was re-newed in red bricks and was equipped with a four-sided pyramid spire. The porch was re-built contemporary, it is mostly in granite ashlars which probably origin from the original upper section of the tower.

An inside restoration was made in 1940. The walled communion table is covered in a pine panel. The altar piece is a protestantic triptychon from the end of the 1500s, in the middle field a painting from 1770. Altar candelabres of a late Gothic type. A Romanesque granite font. The baptismal bowl has the year 1689. A pulpit from 1584 with the name of a priest Thomis Pedersøn. The pews are re-newed from 1940. A church bell from 1640. Gravestones from the 1600s on the church yard, one grave stone with an indistinct inscription, probably from 1379. Several old church yard monuments, i.e. cast iron crosses in the eastern section of the church yard. A grave tree from 1822 and a child's grave tree are now at Nordjyllands Historiske Museum.

The tower room is a big hall to which an entrance leads from outside via a port of pillars. The entrance to the apse goes from the hall through two archade openings. The granite baptismal font is the oldest inventory from the first existence of the church. The pulpit is from 1584.
Upon the granite walls of Bejstrup church are many interesting stone figures and stone mason marks.



Bejstrup church

Names in the middle ages:
Bejstrup (1371 Bysdrop, 1410 Beesthorp); Manstrup (1462 Manstrup); Blegebrønde (1552 Blegebryundtt); Tanderupgård (1458 Tandrvp gardh); Sønderstrup (1477 Soønderstrvp).
The Børglum bishop had in the last half of the 1000s undoubtedly a farm in Bejstrup parish. Bejstrup's medieval name was 'Biskopstorp'. In 1086 Knud IV (den Hellige) stayed at the fortification Aggersborg, from where he wanted to gather a Viking fleet for England, but his hard methods made the Viking chiefs furious, and they chased him out of Aggersborg. Knud took temporary cover in Biskopstorp before he crossed Limfjorden by Aggersund and fled from his pursuers all the way through Jutland and to Odense, where he was murdered in the cathedral.

At Tanderupgård died in 1623 Niels Nielsen Griis. In 1664 it was owned by Knud Seefeld of Oksholm. In 1683 it was used by Niels Jensen Manstrup (+1702), whose widow Else Pallesdatter Griis (of Slettegård) in 1703 bought it from Anders Kjærulf of Bjørnsholm; she died the same year, but was then engaged to Peder Laursen Rod, the above mentioned Niels Jensen Manstrup's brother's son, who took copyhold of T. and ab. 1720 bought it for himself.

Nørgård in Bejstrup village was in 1664 owned by Jens Pedersen Rod and Hans Mandixen, or his widow Birgitte Ladebur. In 1688 it was owned by Laurs Jensen Rod etc., his daughter Karen Laursdatter Rod was married to tenant at Ågård and Ålegård Jacob Baltsersen (+ 1716).

Listed prehistorics: a two chambered long dolmen Grønhøj and a dolmen chamber, both at Bejstrup; at Manstrup one 70 m long longhill, possibly a long dolmen, where the stones have been removed. Furthermore 19 hills of which two at Blegebrønde and Manstrup are rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 5 long dolmens, of which Mulhøj with a pentagonal chamber, a passage grave with a side chamber at Manstrup and 3 indefinable stone graves, furthermore 30 hills.
Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.

photo Bejstrup 170606: grethe bachmann