Øster Velling church/ Øster Velling kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Øster Velling church, ab. 10 km west of Randers.

Øster Velling parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt. 

The church without a tower in Øster Velling has a choir and nave and a new porch on the nort side. The older sections: the choir and nave origin from the Romanesque period, built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, but the church was in 1875 rebuilt because of dilapidation, but with use of old material -  and inaugurated 2 january 1876. The porch seems also to have been renewed in 1875, it was rebuilt again in 1940. The three Romanesque windows of the north side are undoubtedly of Romanesque origin, but extended in the lighting. The north door with old kragsten is still in use, but partly renewed.

The inside of the church got its new look in 1875; it has a beamed ceiling, while the choir was remade again in 1940-41, when a new brickfloor was laid. The altar section is from this last restoration with a table of yellow bricks and above this a crucifix group, made by J.Th. Skovgaard. The former altar decoration, a crucifix from 1875, hangs upon the wall. Three Gothic Saint-figures in wood, found at the loft of the porch, was sent to the National Museum in 1940. A Romanesque granite font with male heads and foliage. The strange square-sided pulpit with winding columns and double fields with sawn balusters is in Renaissance from ab. 1600. In front of this an old parish clerk stool with carved year 1588. The bell without inscription in a hole in the gable, is from early Middle Ages. In the west wall of the nave is inserted a gravestone for Søren Pedersen Velling (+ 1624). In the north wall of the choir a stone for parish priest H.M.Berg. (+ 1787) .

At the rebuild of the church was found a piece of a runestone, now in the National Museum, the only left of the inscription is " -- Thorg-- ".


 
















Øster Velling birk: (judicial)  the king had already in Valdemars Jordebog considerable estate in "Wæling". Later it became a special vasalry, which by queen Margrethe I was leased to Stig Andersen (this must be Stig Andersen Hvide). Around 1500 Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz was the vasal, after him his son-in-law Predbjørn Podebusk. 5 September 1569 Ø.Velling birk was deeded to Erik Podebusk, it consisted of 13 farms in Øster Velling, Velling Mølle, Torup and Madegård. If Erik Podebusk died without heirs, his wife must keep the vasalry for life, whereafter it again had to go to the Crown. Since the married couple had no children, the king took over the birk. Ab. 1680 the Thing was held at Helstrup mark (field) by the road to Randers. 

 
Listed prehistorics: 7 hills and two petroglyph-stones which were found in the demolished Mandbjerghøj close to Velling Vandmølle (water mill), one stone has several small circles of which some are rewritten with ovals.
Demolished or destroyed: 20 hills, Mandbjerghøj contained a grave from early Bronze Age with sword and belt with gold plate. 


Names in the Middle Ages: Øster Velling (1231 Wæling, 1355 Østerwælyngh).




Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: borrowed from Google earth 2013, gb.

Essenbæk old church site, Essenbæk present church, Randers amt.

portal, old church Essenbæk

memorial, ols church yard.

Essenbæk parish, Sønderhald herred, Randers amt.

The old church in Essenbæk, which was placed upon a bank at Essenbækgård, where the church yard with dike and gate still stand, was probably a Romanesque building in granite ashlars with nave with an added porch to the south and a tower with pyramid roof above the southwest corner of the nave.

view from old church yard

dike, old church yard.

If the church had a special choir building, then this was early broken down, and a new choir with a cross vault was established in the east end of the nave, where was built a triumph wall with a pointed arch. The rest of the church had a flat ceiling. The tower rested partly upon pillars built into the nave. -  The Gothic altarpiece with carved figures was bought at the church demolition by an antique dealer. Several figures from Catholic altarpieces are now in Randers Museum. The baptismal font was in wood. Its basin was carried by a kneeling figure.

Essenbæk church, Google map.

The present Essenbæk church ( in Assentoft) was built in 1868-69 south of the earlier church (above), which was broken down in 1865 because of dilapidation. The church is in red bricks upon a plinth of granite ashlars from the old church and is in Romanesque style. It has a choir and nave in one and an apse to the east -and a tower with an octagonal spire to the west. The choir and nave is inside separated by a triumph wall with a round arch. The bottom room of the tower functions as a porch with access to the west. The church has a decorated beamed ceiling.  - The altarpiece is a painting . The altar candelabres are from ab. 1600. A Romanesque granite font with cross lamb, a bird and two lions upon the basin; before 1869 the font stood in the garden of Gammel Estrup (manor), and its original home is unknown. In the north wall of the tower room is inserted a large gravestone with portrait reliefs for birkefoged ( bailiff) Rasmus Pedersen in Essenbæk Ladegård (+ 1602) and wife Anne Nielsdatter and her second husband birkefoged Bertel Henningsen.

landscape, Klostervej, Essenbæk, Google map.

Essenbæk kloster was founded by Knud Lavard's son-in-law Stig Hvide (+ 1151), but was probably originally placed in or at Randers and was moved in 1179-80 to Essenbæk. In 1431 is informed that the kloster, which was inaugurated to Sct. Laurentius, belonged to the Benedictine monks. The kloster was remembered in wills in 1268, 1292 and 1396 and bought gradually much estate. The estate included churches and estate in Essenbæk, Virring and Fløjstrup, and estate in Fausing, Årslev, Hørning, Lime, Gjesing (Gjesingholm), Glesborg, Tøstrup, Rimsø, Voldby, Homå, Egens, Mejlby, Mørke, Hornslet, Bregnet, Skødstrup, Egå, Ødum, Gimming, Albæk, Harridslev, Mariager, Dalbyover, Udbyneder and Kastbjerg parish and in Houlbjerg, Middelsom and Hjelmslev herred. Close to the kloster was the ladegård (farm building) and in the fjord was a fishing farm. A kloster yearbook up till 1323 origins probably from Essenbæk. In 1516 the last abbot Jens Thomsen bought the kloster free of borgeleje (some lease) from Christian II. When the abbot grew feeble, the monks chose the nobleman Hans Emmiksen for their manager.  This was cornfirmed by Frederik I in 1529. Hans Emmiksen died ab. 1536 and was followed as vasal by Axel Juul, who in 1546 had E. as a pawn. The kloster was redeemed in 1548 and was placed under Dronningborg vasalry. In 1661 the king deeded Essenbækgård, Essenbæk kloster and Essenbæk ladegård to colonel Hans Friis of Clausholm. He refrained Essenbæk ladegård and the entailed estate Hevringholm in 1695 to his brother's son Christian Friis. In 1726 E. was transferred to the entailed estate, but was sold 1784 together with Tustrup to Chr. Kallager, earlier of Mejlgård. Both farms were sold in 1787 to Peter Severin Fønss and John Fr. Carøe, who at once sold E. to Nis Christensen Kutsch, who in 1790 sold some parcels. Andr. and Henning Nielsen had in 1802 permission to do some outparcelling, and in 1805 and 1830 were made new outparcellings.

It is not known when the kloster buildings were broken down. Under the estate E. is in 1664 mentioned a "Cappelshus" (chapel), maybe the rest of the kloster. It was placed north of Klostergården, upon the meadow close to Gudenå river; a long stone built road lead from the high land and south out to it. A low, square land-rise with building foundations is now almost demolished. It was once a four-winged kompleks, of which the church possible was the south wing. In an examination from 1899 by the National Museum was uncovered some of the foundation of the southern wall of the church in  granite boulder and some red monk bricks. In the southern choir-walk were seen rests of a stone-lined well with a downturn staircase. Upon the church yard was found bricked graves. In an examination in 1925 the cirka dimensions of the kloster were noted: 57 meter north-south, 47 meter east -west. In Randers Museum are various things which origin from Essenbæk kloster: an unfinished granite font and some wooden figures.

In Essenbæk is said that the marsk Stig Andersen Hvide of Bjørnsholm was buried here in 1369.

Between Essenbæk and Langkastrup (Virring parish) is a valley Svendsdal, where according to legend a south Jutland king Svend Langfod was killed and buried. The large forests beween the valley and Romalth, have disappeared long ago. 

A sacred spring, Sct Laurentiikilde was downside Assentoft towards the meadow.

At Gunnerup mose was a village Gunnerup (1479 Gwndrwp), who like the settlements Kaldekod (1479 Kooildkod) and Munkegård (1479 Mwnkægaard) are mentioned as desolate in 1479. 

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish but there were 36 hills, of which 6 were placed in a group southwest of Assentoft, and west of this were another group of 4.

A few lesser kitchen middens are known from Volkmølle.



Names from the Middle Ages: Essenbæk kirke (1200s Eskingbec, 1330 Eskenbeck);  Assentoft (1579 Assentofftt); Drastrup (1465 Drastrup); Tammestrup (1338 Thomistrop); Essenbækgård (1579 Essenbeck Gardtt); Essenbæk Ladegård (1584 Essenbeck Ladegaard); Volkmølle (1579 Wolck mølle). 





Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.




photo Essenbæk 2008: grethe bachmann
photo Google map 2013

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

The highplaced church in Nimb has a Romanesque choir and nave a late Gothic western tower and a porch to the south. The Romanesque sections are in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth , which is now only visible in a few places. From original details are seen the bricked north window of the choir, the choir arch, which has profiled kragbånd with rope sticks and lion reliefs and the two straight edged doors of the nave, of which the northern is blinded. Upon an ashlar in the north wall is a cup-shaped hollow. The low tower, which probably has been higher, is in raw boulder and monk bricks, and supplemented with ashlars from the demolished western gable of the nave; in the south wall is seen a monolith lintel from a Romanesque window and - as an inside glare - a flatcurved door opening. The tower room is in connection with the nave in a round arched arcade. The whole church has a beamed ceiling.  The porch is probably Gothic, but rebuilt in present times.   

A bricked altar with a Renaissance panel upon the front. The altarpiece is since 1959 a painting by A. Schumann in Horsens 1837 in a simple contemporary frame. The earlier altarpiece, a copy from 1907 of a painting by Carl Bloch, hangs in the tower room. Altar chalice and dish from 1857, made by the Horsens master Erik C. Lind. Altar candelabres from 1600s. Romanesque granite font with lions and windings in lively relief. A baptismal dish, a south German work from 1550-1600. A pulpit in high Renaissance 1614 with the coat of arms of Christopher Holgersen and wife, entrance through the triumph wall. Pews from ab. 1900. Upon the north wall of the nave hangs a small late Gothic crucifix. An iron bound money block at the door. Organ in the tower room. Bell from 1849, cast by Gamst and Lund. In the porch a large portrait gravestone for above mentioned Christopher Holgersen (+ latest 1622) and wife; inscription almost worn out. Outside the church lie a large worn out portrait stone from the 1700s and a gravestone for Johan Frederik Cramer, earlier citizen and merchant in Horsens (+ 1831). In the north corner of the church yard a "grave tree" in granite from the 1700s with a male figure in high relief, and at the burial chapel upon the church yard lies a large monolith lintel from a Romanesque window. 

At Bredstenbro was about 20 m southwest of the country road and 50 m from Gudenå river a chapel, consegrated to Vor Frue, it was registered at Åkær slot in 1591 in a charter from 1426 as called Brøstrum bro capell and it was said to be founded by bishop Bo (+ 1423) and renovated by bishop Ulrik (+ 1449).
The chapel was considered in 1456 in Niels Gyldenstierne's will. In 1461 a priest of Brystingbro is mentioned, and in ab. 1500 a site south of Vor Frue kapel's farm at B. Close west for the chapel was a sacred spring with outlet in Gudenå river. After the chapel site, the socalled "old church yard" for a long time had been used as a quarry and for using gravel, where a big number of skeletons appeared, the National Museum did in 1917 make a small excavation, in which were found the last small rests of the foundation of a monk brick building and some graves.   The chapel site is now completely destroyed.

Nim is in Valdemars Jordebog mentioned as krongods (belonging to the Crown); marsk Stig Andersen (Hvide) had N. as a vasalry from Erik Klipping.

In the parish were the villages Stakkelstoft (1683 Stackels Toft) with 1 farm and 7 houses, and Morup (1582 Marupmark, 1664 Morupmarch) at Brestenbro ab. two km north of Moruplund, which has got its name from the village.

Listed prehistorics: 13 hills of, which Bavnehøj east of Nim and a hill southwest of the village are very large, and 4 røser (stonegraves) in the forest north of Nim.
Demolished or destroyed: 80 hills, most of these were in the eastern part of the parish, where they in a couple of places formed distinct high rows, one along the Horsens-Silkeborg country road to Nim village and another to the south, to Sletkær. 

From Nim origins a late Bronze Age sacrifice find with hængekar (a belt jewelry), bracelets etc. etc. North of Nim was examined an urn burial site from Celtic Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages: Nim (1231 Nym); Brestenbro (1426 Brøstenbroe, 1456 Brøstænbro); Bolund (1408 Bordelund).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.  

photo 2003: grethe bachmann
 

Værum church / Værum kirke, Galten herred, Randers amt.

Værum Church, ab. 5 km southwest of Randers.
Værum sogn, Galten herred, Randers amt.

The small church has a Romanesque choir and nave and a medieval porch. The choir and nave are in granite ashlars; the south portal has animal figures and windings in the thympanum field, while the north door is bricked-up. From the earliest time is also kept the choir arch with kragsten with animal -windings and a window in the north wall of the choir. The porch, built in the late Middle Ages, was partly rebuilt in 1886.



Inside are flat plaster ceilings. Upon the communion table is a pretty, carved altar piece from ab. 1675 in the carver Henrik Alversen's style, in the middle field a newer painting from the 1800s. A decorated front on the communion table, contemporary to the altar piece. A large Romanesque granite font with lion figures. Upon the triumph wall hangs an early Gothic crucifix. Pulpit from 1877. In the nave is a wooden epitaph for Chr. Pedersen Sommer, set up 1696. Upon the south wall of the nave hangs series pastorum 1691-1796, placed in a Baroque epitaph-frame, probably by the same carver as the altar piece. In the north side of the choir is walled-in a black-painted limestone tablet as a memorial of parish dean Nicolaus Wedel (+ 1779) and wife Elsebeth Ritter (+ 1750) and three children , tablet set up in 1782, a later added memorial inscription for the son parish priest Søren Wedel (+ 1787) and wife Kirstine Bay (+ 1801).


Værum

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Værum (1342 Wærum); Nørgård (* 1463 Nøregaard); Værum Vandmølle (1683 Wærum Mølle).

Hr. Stig Andersen (Hvide) conveyed in 1342 among others his estate in Værum to his brother Uffe Andersen (Hvide). In 1463 pawned Eggert Vestenie Nørregård in V. to hr. Axel Lavesen Brok.

No prehistorics are known in the parish.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963


photo Værum kirke 2003: grethe bachmann

Framlev church / Framlev kirke, Framlev herred, Århus amt.

Framlev Church, 10 km west of Århus

The large Romanesque church in Framlev was built in the 1100s. The choir and the nave are travertine and raw granite. The eastern gable of the choir has three large round-arched blind archades and above in the roof gable is placed a limestone ashlar portraying the crucified Christ above an animal head. Two Romanesque windows are bricked-up, while four others are in use. The north door is bricked-up, while the south door has a tympanum with a lion figure. The tower with a pyramid roof and the porch are both in monk bricks and added in the late Middle Ages. Except for the tower the church is white-washed.



In the late Middle Ages the choir was equipped with an octagonal vault without wall curves. Two Romanesque frescoes are preserved - a decoration in the north window of the choir and a Maria-image from ab. 1250. An oak plank with a round-arched window-opening from an earlier wooden church is now at the National Museum. The communion table in monk bricks is covered in a Renaissance panel. The altar piece is from 1590 with an new painting and upon the communion table is a large medieval lectern in oak with carved Gothic ornaments, and upon the lectern a bible from 1633 , equipped with a new binding. The Romanesque granite font has double lions. A carved font sounding board from 1663 and an akvamanile from ab. 1350 are now at the National Museum. The pulpit with a sounding board is Renaissance from 1602 with an entrance panel from 1604 made by Morten Snedker and with original paintings, fx. the coat of arms of Arild Huitfeldt. A late Gothic parish clerk chair with the coat of arms of Niels Clausen Skade. Closed pews with triangle gables and with the year 1654. In the porch is walled two Romanesque gravestones with cross and other figures. Besides gravestones from the 1600s.



Chicken yard with both hens and cattle opposite the church.


Jes Bonde bought estate in Framlev, exchanged with Ribe Chapter and sold it before 1341 to hr. Ove Hase.

Rural dean Jens in Århus endowed 1313 among others a farm in Lillering for an altar in Århus Cathedral.

Estate in Labing was exchanged by hr. Stig Andersen Hvide 1336 to the chapter in Århus.

Labinggård was after having belonged to Palle Bryning and hr. Markvard Rostrup the object of an exchange and belonged in 1484 to Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz; in 1514 it was owned by Tvilum Kloster, which had pawned it to bishop Niels Clausen Skade of Århus.

Labing mølle is mentioned in 1385; in 1587 it was endowed to Christen Munk of Gjessinggård, but it belonged in 1613 to Skanderborg Slot, later to Lyngbygård.

Hørslevgård was by Albert Skeel exchanged to the Crown in 1541.

Vorgård was sold by Erik Hvas (of Ormstrup) 1475; still in the 1600s there was only one farm. The esquire Thomas Jensen of Snåstrup is mentioned in 1460.

In the parish are two sacred wells, Hulken between Hørslevbol and Skovby, now an ordinary watering place, and Sct. Thomas kilde south of Framlev; the last is said having been used in the 1800s.

Højbygård is the rest of a village Højby (1398 Høyby), which is mentioned as desolate in 1683. In the parish is also mentioned a farm Kirkegård (1492 Kirchygarden); it had burnt down in 1683.

Listed prehistorics: A dolmen chamber without cover stone west in the parish and 3 hills, of which one at Labing is large.
Demolished or destroyed: two dolmens and 34 hills.

At Snåstrup have been found a burial site from Roman Iron Age with clay pots, bronze buckles, pearls etc.

Names in the Middle Ages: Framlev (1310 Framleff, 1341 Framløf); Labing (1336 Labum, 1480 Labing) ; Hørslev (1480 Hørsløff); Hørslevbol (1541 Bolen, Bolem, 1573 Hørsløffbuoll (e)); Lillering (1263 Lille Rings marck, 1313 Litlærind); Snåstrup (1398 Snalstrup, 1460 Snalstrvp); Vorgårde (1475 Wordgaardt); Labinggård (1418 Labinggaard); Hørslevgård (1480 Hørsløffgaard). 


Source: Trap Danmark, Århus amt, 1963

photo 2004 Framlev:grethe bachmann