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

Bjergby church, ab. 6 km north of Hjørring. (Google earth)

The highplaced church in Bjergby, which is seen far and wide, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a newer porch to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a plinth, which in the eastern section has a steep, heavy, bevelled edge and to the west a more flat and narrow. Above the bricked-up south door, which was still open in 1637, is a tympanum with a cross-lamb, a human figure and a bird, which in 1729 lay at the church yard and was regarded as a gravestone. The north door is extended, and its tympanum with a dragon figure is inserted above the door of the porch. From original windows are inside kept the large east window of the choir, and in the south wall of the choir are inserted two round arched monolite lintels. High upon the south wall of the nave is an ashlar with a very big, protruding male head, according to tradition is it the master  builder of the church. Inside are beamed ceilings, and the round choir arch is kept. The walls were remade in the 1700s - the choir gable 1772 with iron initials for Christoffer Rougtved and Else J. Seidelin, the west gable 1782 with initials for Pors Munch and Else J. Seidelin. Upon the lead roof of the church was according to a description from 1735 a strange decoration: a gunner with gun, dog, deer and hare, cast in lead. The building was restored in 1950.

Bjergby church, wikipedia

tympanum, wikipedia.

interior, wikipedia.

The ashlar-bricked communion table was until 1950 covered in a rare Romanesque front in oak, which fields copied the front of the golden altars, it is now placed in the choir. The altarpiece contains parts from a young Renaissance altarpiece, but is much remade in 1782 in late acanthus Baroque with very naturalistic angels in the wings. The old large-field, which had a carved crucifix and painted images of Moses and John the Baptist, was replaced in the late 1800s by a copy of a C.Bloch painting. The chalice is from the late 1600s,  stamped by Chr. P. Lam, Sæby. Brass candelabres in late Baroque. A Romanesque granite font with  semicircular basin upon a truncated pyramid foot. Simple pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600 with the coat of arms of Ove Lunge and Anne Sehested. New pews from the last restoration in 1950. The bell hangs in a bell frame upon a gravehill inside the dike of the church yard, it was cast in 1867 by B.S. Løw.

gravestones 1) parish priest Niels Pedersen (+ 1624) and two wives; 2) parish clerk Bertel Pederesen (+ 1705) with wife and daughter.

In the parish is in 1662 mentioned the farms Bachen and Lund.  

Listed prehistorics: 8 hills, of which several are large: Vagthøj at Sakstrup; Fællehøj and Skovhøj at Nymark and a hill at Gammeljord; the bellframe at the church yard stands upon a hill. Furthermore two stone Iron Age graves at Bjergby and Sakstrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 31 hills.      

From a hill at Sakstrup was found a gold ring from early Roman period.
In the parish were several finds ( sacrifice and depots) from Stone Age, like from Sakstrup: 7 thick-necked axes, 4 spear heads and 12 scythes, at Snævre a find with 5 thin-necked axes, and one with 5 scythes and an unfinished spear head. In a moor at Varbrogård was found a big number of clay pots from Celtic Iron Age. Stone graves from early Roman period were found at Bjergby and Hvirrekær.

It was told that one of the first parish priests after the reformation, Peter Vognfører, was accused of witchcraft and burnt upon a hill in Mygdal parish.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:  Bjergby (1343 Byærby); Sakstrup (1419 Saxtorp); S. Ørnbøl (1638 Ønbøll); Krattet (1662 Kratted); Dal (1419 Bierbydal); Pilgård (1662 Pill Gård).

See:
photo-collection Bjergby church 

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

 

      

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. 


    

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

Astrup church, ab. 6 km east of Hjørring.

                                                                                                      

Astrup parish, Vennebjerg herred, Hjørring amt.

The church in Astrup has a late Romanesque choir and nave with a new porch to the south. The late Romanesque building is from ab. 1200-50 in granite ashlars and monk bricks upon a bevelled granite plinth. From original details are traceable the round arched north door and a bricked-up round arched window in the east wall of the choir. A Romanesque monolit window- lintel is inserted above a peephole of the burial cellar under the choir. The choir arch and the south door are both extended, probably in the Gothic period. A (now disappeared) tower is mentioned in 1639. The porch to the south is in small bricks, probably from the second half of the 1800s. Inside in the western gable is inserted a plaster copy  af a runestone found in the church in 1910 with the runic alphabet. The lead roofed building was latest restored in 1952.



From a disappeared Gothic altarpiece are three figures now in the National Museum. The present altarpiece in rural Rococo from ab. 1775 has outsawed wings and a crucifixion painting. Altarpainting from the late 1800s, a copy after C. Bloch: Resurrection, hangs in the church. A magnificent Renaissance chalice 1582, given by Mette (Viffert) wife of Morten Krabbe of Bøgsted. Baroque candelabres. A Romanesque granite font with a small halfcircular basin with ribs upon a pyramid-cone foot.  A South German dish ab. 1575 and with almost worn out coat of arms of : Juel. A fine late Gothic choir arch crucifix, ab. 1475. A pretty carved pulpit from 1616 by Niels Ibsen with coat of arms for Ulrik Sandberg and his two wives. A canopy from the church is now at Bøgsted manor, it was probably acquired in 1656. A disappeared painting, given 1670 by Søren Christensen,  and a gallery from 1650, set up by jomfru Margrethe Sandberg:  both things mentioned in 1735.  Bell from 1560, cast by Peder Lauridsen, given by Morten Krabbe. In the choir a worn out gravestone, a figure stone for Morten Krabbe of Bøgsted, killed in war in Sweden 1566 and Mette Madsdatter (Viffert) (+ 1597). In a now closed burial cellar under the choir stood earlier 14 coffins with among others: Henrik Sandberg of Bøgsted (+ 1651), Mette Viffert of Hørbylund, (+ 1597) and Peder Jensen of Bøgsted (+ 1713), they are now all buried in the church yard. In the church are coffin plates for Mette Viffert (+ 1597) and Oluf Seefeld of Mølgård (+ 1697).



Bøgsted was in 1419 a village, where one farm was double as big as each other one, it was probably this farm, which ab. 1500 became the main farm, which swallowed the village; it was owned in the last half of the 1300s by the godsrige ( rich of estate) hr. Niels Ovesen (Panter) of Asdal, Skovgård (Vennebjerg herred) etc. ( + earliest 1355) and his wife, fru Johanne Andersdatter (Stenbrikke). In the exchange after them in 1419 the farms in B. went to their son-in-law, rigshofmester hr. Anders Jacobsen Lunge of Gunderslevlille etc. ( + latest 1429); his two marriages were childless, and B. came probably to his brother, rigsråd hr. Ove Jepsen Lunge of Nielstrup (Musse herred) (+ latest 1458), and then to his son hr. Tyge Ovesen Lunge of Basnæs (+ 1460), whose daughter Elsebe (Lisbeth) Tygesdatter Lunge (+ earliest 1512) was married to hr. Mogens Krabbe (of Østergård) of Bustrup (+ 1505). Their daughter Margrethe Mogensdatter Krabbe of Østergård is mentioned in 1521 and 1547 of B., which at this time must have been a nobility-farm (manor); her marriage to Henrik Jørgensen Friis (of Haraldskær) of Odden etc. (+ earliest 1500) was childless, and therefore the farm went to her brother rigsmarsk hr. Tyge Krabbe's son Morten Tygesen Krabbe of Bjørnholm (killed in 1566 in Sweden), his widow Mette Viffert of Hørbylund died in 1597, and B.went now to his sister's son hr. Ulrik Sandberg (+ 1636) and since to his son oberstløjtnant Henrik Sandberg (+ 1651) and his son Ulrik Sandberg (+ 1668), whose widow fru Sophie Maltesdater Sehested (+ 1706) in 1688 had to renounce farm and estate to forpagter (manager) at Voergård, Peder Jensen Holst, if he took over the debt.

After his death in 1713 his widow Anne Jørgensdatter Hald owned B. (+ 1728); she sold it in 1724 to her daughter's son Hans Bugge of Haven; he died 1759, his widow Elisabeth Dyssel died in 1769. Their estate was sold in 1770 acc. her will of 1765: B. and Haven to oberst  Niels Bentzen Jespersen of Høgholt (+ 1774); in auction after him the farm and peasant estate to ritmester Enevold Bolwig (+ 1817) who in 1804 renounced B. to kancelliråd Michael Brandt (+ 1812) in Hjørring and kammerråd Arent Hassel Rasmussen (+ 1842).
Later owners:  Andreas Andkjær; Johanne Louise Henriette Jakobsen, née Fischbach; Daniel Poppe of Lerbæk; Severin Hastrup; Sophie Elisabeth Zahrtmann, née Donner; Chr. Gottlieb Fritz Koch; G. Raben; Hans Emil Bluhme of Nørlund; P. Breth Petersen (A/S); P. Holm; Johs. Kjærgaard; Trygve Sagen in Oslo; Karl Jørgensen; E. Kirkegaard; Jysk Land-Hypotekforening; Johs. Fr.. Pommerencke.
Owner in 1959: A/S Oscar Siesbye, Khbvn.

News at Bøgsted January 2009:
Bøgsted is now listed. The owners have restored it completely with respect to its architecture.Bøgsted has no public access. ( Bøgsted is a pretty white Renaissance building, but it is private property, and I can not show you a photo. But you can see it by searching Bøgsted Hovedgaard in Google images/billeder. ) 



Listed prehistorics: 5 hills, of which Teglhøj at Sparrrevogn is the largest, and an Iron Age stone grave at Bøgsted.

Demolished or destroyed: The passage grave Puthøj at Sparrevogn and 32 hills, mainly in the eastern hilly part of the parish.

At Astrup was found metal from late Bronze Age. Graves with stones from early Roman Iron Age were found at Sønderskov, Torne, Grimmeshave, Klastrup, Sønderhede and Bøgsted. A settlement with a house site from the same period at Sønderskov. 

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Astrup (1474 Astrvp); Sønderskov (1610 Synnderskoff); Klastrup (1419 Klaxstorp); Skærping (1480 Skerpingh); Borresholt (1610 Borids Holtt); Sparrevogn (1612 Sparre Wognn); Hundbjerg (1638 Hundberg); Grimmeshave (1484 Gremærsholth, 1547 Gremershafve); Hvims (1612 Wembs, 1662 Huimbs); Hving (1638 Huingh); Øster Tirup (1638 Øster Tirup); Mølskov (1662 Møllschow); Ryet (1638 Ryett); Kalstrup (1662 Kolstrup); Bøgsted (1418 Bøghested); Solbjerg (1419 Solberge Gaard); Grue (  ? Grud, 1638 Grue); Højen (1662 Wed Høyen); Skovbo (1638 Skouboe).




Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.

photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb

Hjerk church/ Hjerk kirke, Harre herred, Viborg amt.

Hjerk church, about 16 km northwest of Skive.

 
 Hjerk parish, Harre herred, Viborg amt.
  
The church in Hjerk has a choir and a nave, a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The choir and nave are from the Romanesque period in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. Upon the north side are kept to bricked-up windows and traces of a third. The north door with a cross-decorated tympanum is bricked-up.  The southside has been rebuilt, but the south door is kept. The very tall Romanesque choir arch has profiled kragsten. The choir and nave have a beamed ceiling. The tower and the porch are late Gothic addititions, both mostly in ashlars, which might origin either from a Romanesque tower or from one of the demolished churches of the district. Several ashlars -many curved - lies on the church yard. The upper section of the tower with gables north-south, is in monk bricks. The tower room has a cross vault and opens towards the nave in a round arch. The partly whitewashed church is roofed with lead. A restoration took place in 1953-54. In the tower room were found frescoes, among others two large pictures of saints (Sct. Jørgen =Georg and Sct. Morten = Martin). They are from the period close to the reformation.

The bricked communion table is surrounded by a panel from the late 1500s. The altarpiece is in Renaissance with two carved coat of arms for Jacob Høeg of Trudsholm (he was vasal at Skivehus 1596-1602) and wife Lisbeth Sehested. The altarpiece - which mid field has a painting - is restored with new decorations in 1954. An altar picture from ab. 1850 hangs now in the tower room (1962). Altar chalice from 1691 with the stamp of royal silversmith Marcus Resenhof and the coat of arms of  Wilhelm Marselius baron of Gyldenkrone. Altar candelabres from the first half of the 1600s. A Romanesque granite font with many close placed round sticks upon the basin. Upon the loft a very destroyed late Gothic crucifix. A Renaissance pulpit with a decoration from 1954. New, closed pews. Bell from 1507, cast by Peder Hansen in Flensborg with inscription. Below the choir was a burial. A Romanesque gravestone with two cross lies in front of the door of the porch.

 


















News from Hjerk church: 
There was a restoration of the church in 1999 where the colours in the church benches were attuned to the special 1770s-painting in the altarpiece. The porch was restored and here are exhibitions each year by local artists. Hjerk church and parish have some very good websites which are easy to find. They tell stories from the parish  (in Danish) and show pictures of from the exhibitions. (source: the parish)  


Bajlumgård was in 1524 owned by Niels Høeg (Banner) of Eskær. In 1594 Steen Brahe exchanged the half of B. to Ludvig Munk and Erik Lykke. The last mentioned's daughter Johanne Lykke (+ 1635) owned it in 1623, but in 1637 Gunde Rostrup sold B. to Jørgen Høeg (Banner) of Todbøl (+ 1656), in 1663 it was owned by Erik Blik of Holmgård, who in 1664 deeded it to Andreas Rhode, whose brother Rudolph Rhode in the 1670s resided here. It came later to their sister's son-in-law High Court Judge Christoffer Bartholin (+ 1714); in 1688 B. is mentioned as "a poorly place and not quite close to being a farm", in 1689-91 it was leased to Chr. Gjedde of Skivehus; Chr. Bartholin complemented the farm in 1700, and his heirs sold it 1727 to their brother-in-law captain Peter Fürst (+ 1732), whereeafter it the same year was sold to his brother-in-law Selio Müller of Lønborggård, who in 1740 sold it to Peder Panderup. He sold it in 1744 to Niels Bang, who 1755 sold it without estate to Niels Stefansen Tang (+ 1789), whose son Stefan Tang owned it till his death in 1827. In an auction after him it was bought in 1830 by Chr. Gjørup in Skive, but in 1836 it belonged to Jens Nielsen Ladefoged  - in 1841 to his son Jens Tang (+ 1865), then to his son Christian Tang (+ 1904), whose son Niels Tang in 1909 sold B. to a consortium, which in 1911 sold it to Peter Hansen Knudsen, whose son Henning Knudsen took it over in 1959.

Vium mølle (mill) was by hr. Niels Nielsen in 1400 deeded to Stig Munk.   

Listed prehistorics: 6 hills among, those Store Tophøj east of Bajlum and a hill southwest of the church, both large.
Demolished or destroyed: 35 hills.

 In Hjerk nor (nor = land tongue) was found an important settlement from the Ertebølle culture and a kitchen midden in the edge of the beach.

Names from the Middle Ages: Over Hjerk (1375 Hernick, 1488 Hyerk, 1494 Offuerhierck); Neder Hjerk (1494 Neyræhierck); Vium (1400 Vyvm); Bajlum (1420 Bodum, 1474 Balum, 1546 Baylom); Gedeløkke (1546 Giedeløche); Bajlumgård (1524 Balom(m)gardt); Viumgård (1500s Wium gard); Vium vandmølle (1463 Viiummøll).


Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: borrowed from Google earth 2013, gb

Sahl church / Sahl kirke, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Sahl Church, 12 km southwest of Skive
Sahl sogn, Ginding herred, Ringkøbing amt.
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto


Sahl Church was the main church in Ginding district during the Middle Ages. It is built in the second half of the 1100s in granite ashlars. The Romanesque building consists of nave, choir and apse. Three windows in the nave and two in the choir and a window in the apse are preserved, the choir and apse windows restored in 1947. Both original doors are preserved. The women's door on the north side is walled in, but has its original two pillars and a thympanum. The men's door on the southside behind the walls of the porch is in use. The entrance is flanked by double free-standing pillars and a smooth thympanum. The Gothic tower was added in the late 1400s. The bottom section is built in re-used ashlars from the broken western wall. The top white-washed section is built in monk bricks. The tower was higher but was rebuilt in 1784. The present tower with its pyramid roof is due to a repair in 1916 after a lightning. The porch is built in monk bricks.

The church room is high and very light with a flat beamed ceiling. The choir arch is very broad and has kept its two side-altar niches, where the southern is carved through as stairs to the pulpit. The apse with a half cupola-vault is closed towards the choir with a wall and functions as a sacristi.

Frescoes at the old windows


Door from 1500s and late Gothic crucifix

Inventory: Small altar candelabres in late medieval type. A Romanesque granite font with lily shaped ornaments upon the basin. A Netherland baptismal bowl from the 1600s. A large late Gothic choir arch crucifix. A pulpit in Renaissance with paintings of the evangelists. Large closed pews in oak from the Renaissance-period; parts from pews of West Jutland type from 1584 re-used as gables at the wall. In apse a confessional , partly from 1622 and a series pastorum from the beginning of the 1800s . Money block in oakwood. An oakwood door wing from the Renaissance period, originally belonging to the south door, is now placed in the northern door niche.


The men's door in the porch with pillars and thympanum.
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto


The golden altar
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto



The golden altar, detail

The finest piece of Sahl Church is the golden altar. It is the only fully preserved golden altar in the North and a main work in European art history. It was probably made in Ribe ab. 1200 at the same workshop, which also mastered the later altar-front in Stadil Church north of Ringkøbing. The gild copperplates are fastened upon a base of oak wood and consists of two sections. The bottom section is the original altar-front, while the top section is the retablet with Heavens' Gate which was placed upon the communion table itself. The golden altar is today placed upon the apse wall behind the communion table, which was dictated by the National Museum for security reasons.



Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Sahl (1330-48 Salæ); Vinderup (* 1274 Windorp); Hasselholt (* 1406 Haselholt, 1454 Hassleholt, Haslæholt); Nr. Bjert (* 1422 Byærtæ, 1688 Sønder Bierne bye); Agerbæk ( Ackebeck, 1485 Agerbek); Hovgård (1388 Swensthorp houegaar, 144 Howgard); Nold ( 1510 Nøldher mark, 1688 Noldgaard); Obitsø ( 1510 Obbysø mark, 1688 Obeedtzgaard); Buskov (1511 Bosko, Boscho); Bulig (1591 Buling, 1688 Boelig); Vindelev (1467 Winderløff, 1510 Windeløff); Øster and Vester Skovlund (1467 Wester Skofflending, 1547 Vester-Øster Skovflendt); Sevelstedgård (1489 Søffweltwedh, 1688 Søuelstedgaard); Brendtang ( 1510 Brentange).

Vinderup Hovgård was a main manor mentioned 1274 ("Wynderopgaardt"), when fru Lucie conveyed it to former marsk Jens Kalf in return for a contribute to Stubberkloster; in 1349 Jens Kalf's daughter Inger lived at V.; she was married to Albert Albertsen Eberstein; also her brother's son Erland K. ,who still lived in 1377, owned it. In 1422 væbner Henrik Friis is mentioned of Wyndropp, whereafter it was owned by Eske Friis and his daughter fru Mette, married to Oluf Nielsen (Sort) of Fovsing Hovgård. Later it was a farm, which in 1615 by Palle Rosenkrantz was sold to Claus Maltesen Sehested's widow Anne Nielsdatter Lykke (+ 1645), whose son Malte Sehested (+ 1661) established it into a ladegård( farm) under Rydhave ab. 1650. After his widow Margrethe Frederiksdatter Reedtz' death in 1693 it came to their sons-in-law Gregers Ulfstand Høg of Vang and Jørgen Grubbe Kaas of Rybjerg . Later owners: Sehested, Boserup, Sejersen etc. In 1913 sold to a consortium, which outparcelled it for villas in Vinderup stationsby.

In the meadow area in the northwestern outskirt of Vinderup By is the large castle bank Vinderup Vold, an ab. 4 m high square castle bank with round corners. It is surrounded by a moat. Bricks have been found.

Svenstrup was a main farm, owned by Herman Knudsen, whose brother the væbner Chr. Luggi in 1378 pawned it to Ribe bishopric, and he and Jens Pors later conveyed S. to the bishopric. In 1388 bishop Jens Mikkelsen gave it to Ribe chapter, which endowed it to Jes Juel. In 1492 is mentioned Erik Pallesen Juel in Svenstrup Hovgård. Still in 1661 it was under the chapter, but in 1688 it had become ryttergods (a cavalry estate). The king conveyed it in 1717 for 575 rigsdaler to Christen Linde of Volstrup, and in 1770 it was divided in two farms, one under Volstrup, the other under Handbjerg Hovgård.

In Hasselholt was a main farm, which was owned by fru Gunner Bosdatter Høg, widow after Erland Kalf, who is mentioned in 1411. In 1489 it was owned by Niels Krabbe, whose wife Kirsten Bosdatter Høg had inherited it together with her sister Karen.

In the crack of an old oak coffin from Sahl church were in 1850 found 8 coins from Erik Plovpenning and Erik of Pommern.

From disappeared buildings in the parish are the farms Lerballe (1683 Lierballe), earlier named Agerkrog (1683 Agerkroog); Brendshede (* 1489 Brentzhee); Trabjerg (1494 Troberig, 1612 Thrabberigh); Abildholt (1612 Albildholt); and in Svenstrup the farms Nørgård (1683 Nørgaard); Meldgård (1683 Melgaar); Søndergård (1683 Syndergaard) and Bjerregård (1683 Bieregaard.)

Listed prehistorics: 17 hills, most of them are small single graves from Stone age and situated in the heath to the north.
Demolished or destroyed: 27 hills.
Sahl Church
The name Sal is a reminder of the Viking Period and heathen sacrifice places = gudehov. But it is not known where this gudehov were, or if the present stone church had one or two wooden predecessors. A west Jutland legend says that the golden altars were given to the two churches from an English prince who was shipwrecked at Bovbjerg. The Stadil altar was the foot piece and the Sahl altar was the head piece of the prince's bed. Most important in this legend is that it bares witness that our earliest churches' connection to England was a part of the national Danish consciousness.

The copy of a medieval church at Hjerl Hede Open-Air Museum.

The church yard is surrounded by old stone dikes and a pretty western late Gothic portal. Similar but smaller portals are preserved on the south and east side of the church yard.
Sahl is situated only a few km southwest of the pretty open air museum Hjerl Hede. Here is a museum's church showing the medieval church building and the technique of the frescoes.

Source:Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965; Niels Peter Stilling, Danmarks kirker, 2000.


photo Sahl kirke/Hjerl Hede 2003/ Sahl kirke 2009: grethe bachmann