Sjørring church/ Sjørring kirke, Hundborg herred, Thisted amt.

Sjørring church was probably built by the king, which explains its special position in the district of Thy. Its  important connection  is the big castle bank Sjørring Volde close by, one of the biggest and strangest castle banks  in Denmark  - the rests of a strong medieval royal castle. The old name "Syrændæ" is mentioned as an estate of the Crown in Valdemars Jordebog. The castle was from the 1000s - and there was probably a wooden church in Sjørring at the same time. The present Romanesque church has replaced the wooden church in the 1100s.

In about 1630 and 1666 the church was still owned by the Crown, but in April 1699 it was deeded to fru Cornelia Bickers of Vestervig. It was later owned by the family Steenstrup from 1775. In April 1918 it was transferred to freehold.

The pretty Romanesque church lies upon a hillside about 300 meters northeast of Sjørring Volde. The terrain falls down from the building from all sides. The church was one of Thy's most esteemed churches, and the names of the hills nearby, like Galgehøj and Tingbakken indicate that the Thing of Hundborg Herred was held here.

Sjørring church/wikipedia

Sjørring church is the biggest and richest decorated church in Hundborg Herred, but it is strongly marked by restorations in 1875 and 1890. The church has Romanesque apse, choir and nave, all built in pretty carved ashlars upon a superbly done double plinth. Two very pretty pillar portals were partly renewed in 1875 and 1890, but they are still the only pillar portals in Thy. At the bricked-up south door stands a magnificent portal with double free-standing columns with richly profiled bases and capitals with animal- and flower decorations. The north portal in the porch has two columns formed as wooden columns, probably meant to be copies from the original wooden church.

In the south wall of the choir is a 98cm broad priest-door with a strange lintel. The north window of the choir is the best preserved of the original windows. In the north wall of the nave are three original windows. The windows have monolith lintels. There are several ashlars on the wall with stone mason-fields, also on the walls inside. The church room has flat, beamed ceilings and whitewashed walls, the triumph wall stands with the original  pretty ashlars, side altar niches and corbels. Some Romanesque frescoes were discovered in 1890, and some in1928 but no frescoes have been restored.

interior/gb

About 1500 a late Gothic tower and porch were built. The tower was demolished before 1769, in which year the church was mentioned as towerless ("kullet"). The present tower was built in 1929. At the building of the new tower the rests of a spiral staircase was found. The porch is built in yellow bricks, it has a cross vault. Both tower and porch are whitewashed. The roof of the porch is tiled, the rest of the church has lead roof.








The church yard is surrounded by granite boulder dikes. In the 1870s was still a groove called Pestkulen (the plague pit), which was said to origin from the time of the Black Death. This place was avoided and not used as a burial site.

Inventory.

Romanesque font/gb

The altarpiece is late Renaissance from 1640 with profiled frames and a middle field flanked by Corinthic pillars, in the middle field a dark double-painting from the same time. The pulpit has biblical reliefs. It is dated 1639. The panels in the choir are the original organ-gallery from the beginning of the 1600s. The panels were placed here after the building of the tower in 1929. The Romanesque granite font is a typical Thybo-font in two parts with a slightly profiled plinth and a round-stick at the foot of the basin. A beautiful high Gothic crucifix is from about 1350.  Silver chalice from 1739 by Jens Kjeldsen Sommerfeldt in Aalborg; sygekalk (silver chalice for the sick) from 1775 by P. Knudsen Lund, Aalborg;  silver candelabres from 1608. 








Two medieval wooden figures in Sjørring church. .
The female figure is late Gothic It might origin from an earlier altarpiece. It reminds about a figure in a Gothic altar cupboard in Hillerslev church. In a photo from Danmarks Kirker from 1936 it is seen that the figures have been placed together with the crucifix in the church, as if they were Mary and John. The male figure is probably carved by another carver. It has a rougher face and very big hands, but at the same time it has been carved in order to be similar to the female figure. Maybe the female figure was used at the side of the crucifix after the reformation, and then they needed a figure of John, and a new was carved.



                                                          

Bishop's Grave/gb

The Bishop's Grave.
The socalled Bishop's Grave south of the apse consists of three  granite memorials. It is one of Denmarks most potent Romanesque grave memorials, dated to the end of the 1100s. It is probably only the middle stone which lies in its original place. Upon the north prism stone is a pretty carved relief of a bishop's figure, but although it is called a bishop's grave it is proably not the burial of a bishop at all, but it is sooner a figure of Sct Nicolas of Myra.  On the opposite is another pretty stone with a high relief of an angel, while the other  prism stone has no reliefs, but by both stones stand typical gable stones with Romanesque crosses in high relief.

Several traditions are connected to this burial place. According to a legend it is the grave of an English bishop who was ship-wrecked at the west coast of Jutland. Another tradition says that bishop Mogens of Vestervig was buried here after he in vain had fought for bringing his bishopric to Thy. The third theory is that it was the first bishop of Børglum, Sølves/Silvester's grave.

Sjørring Volde left, the church right/ Google Earth

Sjørring Volde
In connection to a visit in the church it is a good idea to visit the castle bank Sjørring Volde.  From the church yard is a fine view across the magnificent landscape, which was a waterway in the Middle Ages. The royal castle bank by the lake shore was surrounded by water on all four sides and with the king's road through Thy east of the plan. The big fortification is a so-called Motte-Bailey plan, consisting of a front castle with the civil residenses, and behind double moats the fortification itself, which was a wooden tower upon a steep earth bank. The type is known already from the 1000s, shown on the Bayeux tapestry. 


Source: Danmarks Kirker Thisted amt ; Politikens bog om Danmarks Kirker, Niels Peter Stilling 2000.
 

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.

Hammelev church/ Hammelev kirke, Randers amt.

Hammelev church, ab. 5 km north of Grenå.

Hammelev parish, Djurs Nørre herred, Randers amt.

The highplaced church in Hammelev has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from the reformation period to the south. The wellkept Romanesque building is built in limestone ashlars; the choir upon a beveled plinth, the nave upon a plinth with rundstav (a list/ "round stick") above a beveled plinth. In the east wall of the choir is a bricked-up circular window - and to the north a re-opened round arch window. Against custom the nave is richer decorated than the choir.  Its corner lisens reach a height with the arcade friezes, which run at the top of both flank walls with rich variated "sticks" carved in the limestone with branches, leaf and braiding. Upon the north side the frieze is broken by a high-placed round arch window. The west gable has rests of arches, which indicate that it has had high glare arcades alike the arcades on the tower in Voldby church. The bricked-up north portal, which is placed in a protruding straight-edged field, has a round arched stick above small kragsten around a smooth tympanum. The lower edge is accompanied by an English-Normannic influenced "roll-billet". The south door which is in use is outside and has "swallowed" the original door. The choir arch was extended in the 1400s, when the choir had one and the nave three cross vaults, which against custom are engraved into the walls wihout skjoldbuer ( arch connected between vault and wall).

Almost contemporaty to the vaults ab. 1475 was the tower, added in monk bricks. The cross vaulted bottom room opens to the nave by a pointed tower arch. The roof gables are north south. The porch in monk bricks has a small rectangular window in a round arched frame to the east. At the nave on the south east lisen are deeply carved initials NC and SL and the year 1639. On the north side AM G NT. At at the choir gable's south lisen is carved a ship. The building was restored in 1953-54. During the restoration was found badly kept frescoes from the Renaissance, which were washed over.

Hammelev vicarage

The communion table is in limestone ashlars, and it has a large nich in the back. The altarpiece is a painting from 1953-54. The earlier altarpiece from 1867 was a painting by fru Ingemann. Chalice and dish were given by Christen Jensen Broch. Late Gothic altar candelabres with a soft profiled foot upon sitting lions. A Romanesque granite font of Djursland-type with a double leaf garland and a square foot. A Nederland dish ab. 1650 with engraved wines. It was brought to the church in ab. 1930 by pastor Metz. A pulpit from ab. 1600 in simple high Renaissance with Chorintic pillars and portal fields. Bell from 1852 by P.P. Meilstrup.

Epitaph in black slate with a Latin inscription for parish priest Ove Christensen Nimtofte (+ 1644) and wife and their son-in-law Christen Jensen Broch (+ 1677), his wife and their son. Under the nave a bricked up priest burial. North of the church two gravestones in neo Classicism, one is a stele for parish priest Gerhardt Munck (+ 1834). (He introduced the smalllpox vaccine in the local district and did it himself). The other memorial from ab. 1820 in sandstone has the shape of a flat curved gravetree with an inscription field. The stone was according to tradition meant for the crew from a wrecked ship "Hilam".

Stensmark belonged according to Valdemar Jordebog to the Crown's estate. Christoffer of Bayern endowed in 1441 hr. Otte Nielsen (Rosenkrantz) with Grenå, Anholt and Stensmark etc for life; his son hr. Erik Ottesen (+ 1503) and son's son hr. Niels Eriksen (+ 1516) were also endowed with S.,  and still in 1538 S. was pawned to members of the family Rosenkrantz. Later S. belonged to Grenå By (town), but in 1575 the king exchanged a desolate field called S. to Erik Lykke of Skovgård, his son Falk Lykke exchanged S. to Sostrup (Benzon); whereafter it was under this farm's main farm charge, but the land was rented to the local peasants. It was sold as a free main farm in 1839 to O.A.la Cour of Timgård (+ 1860), his son-in-law N. P. la Cour (+ 1856) took it over in 1845 and sold it in 1855 to major A. W. Dinesen of Katholm (+ 1876),  whose son  W.L. Dinesen of Katholm in 1909 sold it to a consortium. The farm changed often owner until it was sold in 1918 to R Ric-Hansen, who was followed in 1956 by his son A Ric-Hansen.

Hammelevgård established 1843 . Owner in1963 B. Johnsen.

Fornæs seems to mean "fårenæse" (sheep's nose). Upon the meadow Stensmark was in the Valdemar period a considerable sheep farming, from which the king had a yearly tax of 140 rams (acc. to Valdemar Jordebog). Here was probably once a mill Vejrnemølle (1505 Veyrne mølle).  

Listed prehistorics: two hills at Stensmark: Rytterhøj and Hvidehøj, the last in the garden.

Demolished or destroyed: 5 hills, among which Møgelhøj northeast of Hammelev.

At Fornæs Fyr (lighthouse) is an important settlement and a flint chopping place from Dolktid, 2400-1700 B.C. (Late Stone Age). 
 
Names from the Middle Ages: Hammelev 1404 (Hamætløff); Stensmark (1231 Stensmarc). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.


 photo May 2009: grethe bachmann



  

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
 

Haraldsted church / Haraldsted kirke, Ringsted herred, Sorø Amt

The church in Haraldsted has a Romanesque nave and a Gothic sacristy, longhouse choir, porch and tower. The Romanesque nave is a large building in travertine and raw boulder. The southern door is extended, while the northern is bricked up. The longwalls had each three windows, to the north all are kept as bricked up, while to the south only the westernest is traceable from the porch loft, glared behind the window glade. Ab. 1400 the nave had three cross vaults. The bottom section of the western tower, which possibly contains older sections, are built in mixed material, limestone and bricks, and it seems to be dated 1478 in an inscription in limestone on the south wall: "Dominus Ihesus Christus, alpha et omega, deus et homo, Maria, Johannes, sanctus Petrus, Herluf Skave, Fru Ølgoer, dominus Ericus Laurencii, Jep Andersen, Matis Tote. Anno Domini mcdlxx octavo."  Furthermore a clog with trunk is seen. Easternest on the north side an original stairhouse, where the bottom, flatcurved door is bricked up. To the south and west are remade windows in a threefoil-curved "mirror". The tower room was overvaulted after 1500, and a new upper section was built with a stairhouse to the south.On the east side of this and on the west side of the tower are carved limestone heads. The roof gables of the tower were rewalled in 1866. Before the original choir was demolished, was in ab. 1500 built a sacristy in bricks with three small, flatcurved windows and a glare-gable. In the beginning of the 1500s, possibly 1520 (acc. to a choir bench)  the choir was replaced by a longhouse choir with two flatcurved, outside rabbet windows in the south wall. The porch to the south from ab. 1500 was in 1520 enheightened with a floor-divided glare gable.

The walled communion table is covered in a panelwork from ab. 1550-75 with a  painted Renaissance-decoration, which copies intarsia around  a medaillon with a portrait of a man and a woman in contemporary dress. The altarpiece is a carved work in Renaissance from 1601, probably made by a Roskilde master. Altar chalice from ab. 1400, remade 1674. Candelabres in  silver plate from 1719. A pair of  mismatched Gothic candelabres are kept at Skjoldenæsholm, and a pair belonging together are at the National Museum. Altar crucifix  from the 1600s, probably from a coffin. In the footpiece of the altarpiece is an enamel painting  from 1700s, given to the church in 1817.  A side altar for Sct. Jørgen (George) in the choir was removed in 1816, and on this occassion was found a shrine with a relic in a parchment piece with inscription: " Anno 1514 Sanct Michels dag lagde vi..." Another side altar in the choir has disappeared later. Above the font is a thurible from the 1400s. The monstranshouse from 1527 is a rich late Gothic woodcarving with an upper part with spire. Cup-shaped ore cast font by the caster Olaf Henriksen Kegge. The baptismal bowl is from 1665-66. A late Gothic choir arch crucifix with a hovering angel from ab. 1525. The pulpit in Renaissance from ab. 1625 was probably made by Hans Holt in Køge or Copenhagen. At the original place by the wall of the choir is a late Gothic choir-bench, which by an inscription is dated 1520; furthermore a parish clerk-chair in the same work with flower gables and the coat of arms of bishop Lage Urne.The gables from the parish clerk-chair were together with a third late Gothic gable used in a new choir-chair by the north wall of the choir, and its present gables do not belong here. In the door of the nave is an excellent late Gothic door-wing from 1525 with the coat of arms of the pope and bishop Lage Urne. (probably made by the same master as the bishop's celebrant chair in Roskilde cathedral). Bells: 1) 1747 by Joh. Barth. Holtzmann;  2) 1779, M.C Troschell. The church yard has to the south and east partly medieval walls, with a gate to the south.

Knud Lavard's Kapel

Knud Lavard was buried in Haraldsted church (he was later buried in Ringsted church), after he was murdered in the forest at Haraldsted (Harrested Ore, "Lavardskov"), where he the night before had visited his family, Cæcilia, the daughter of Knud den Hellige and her husband Erik, earl and chief of Falster. Where Knud Lavard was killed, tells Saxo, a spring gushed up as a healing power for people (later in the Middle Ages another spring is mentioned, it came up where the bearers placed the stretcher while resting, when they brought the body from Haraldsted church to Ringsted). The tradition connected for a long time the memory about Knud Lavard and the holy spring to "Sværtekilde" 2 km north of Haraldsted village. It now lies upon an open field, but a long time ago it was surrounded by forest.  (here was still in the 1800s held mysterious midsummer feasts). It was also at this place where the chapel, built in the honor of Knud Lavard, supposedly was situated. This chapel had disappeared already in the 1500s, since a letter of 20/ 4 1566 from the Ringsted-abbot Frands Andersen to Frederik II mentions that there was a chapel at the small "Kellegaard" (Kildegård: kilde = spring), where the priest lived, and which earlier was used by the kloster-person, who had the supervision of the chapel for the sake of the indulgence-sale. In 1855, when Frederik VII let make examinations at Ringsted, they also searched in vain for the rests of this chapel at Sværtekilden by Kastrupgård. In some new examinations in 1883 dr. Henry Petersen found the ruin, but in quite another place, namely east northeast of Haraldsted village, at a place, which on the map was referred to as Kildemur ( = spring wall), close to the outskirt of V. After the reformation the chapel was probably used secularly, maybe for scullery or bakery. In the forester's lot outside the Hellebjergskoven (forest) was raised a cross 8/6 1902, Knud Lavard's kors, a 4 m tall wooden cross with a copper roof, given by Thor Lange with the inscription: "Hellig Knud Hertug, + 7 Jan. 1131" and upon a shield "Sursum corda". In 1912 was at the church place raised a memorial, also given by Thor Lange, with one of his inscriptions: " Her stod Haraldsted Kongsgaard." and below "Taarn og Tinde Tid forøder, Fortids Minde Fremtid føder." ( something like: time destructs tower and spire, but the prehistoric memory feeds the future)       













About 700 m east of the church lies the ruin (excavated 1884) of Knud Lavard's kapel, a Romanesque plan with apse, choir and nave, which already in the Romanesque period was extended to the west. The building was built ab. 1150 in travertine ashlars upon a double plinth, above which the walls are kept till 1 m height. The original door-places to the south and north have outer rabbet and inside bevelled frames. Still in the Romanesque period, possibly ab. 1170, the nave was extended to the west, also with travertine and upon a similar plinth. The door in the extension to the west has an outer rabbet, but straight frames. The chapel was overvaulted in ab. 1250, and at the same time the original doors were bricked up, and a new brick door was made in the north wall of the nave. In the western section of the building was found a brick floor in zigzag-pattern, probably from the same period as the vaults.

Haraldsted belonged acc. to Valdemars jordebog to the king and worked probably as its own birk (judicial district). Here was probably a kongsgaard (king's castle) which Knud Lavard's  relative Erik Jarl ab. 1130 had as a vasalry. In 1253 Christoffer I gave hr. Gunzelin, count of Schwerin "all property in Haraldsted" as a vasalry. Ab. 1520 belonged H. or a parts of it under Skjoldenæs vasalry, and followed this later to Roskildegård, and came from here in 1585 to Ringsted kloster. In 1588 the village or parts of it burnt down. In 1621 the vasal of Ringsted vasalry, hr. Axel Urne was given royal command to give the priest in H. free timber for the rebuild of his burnt house. At the same time he was told to let rebuild and repair the church- barn, so the king could sleep there, when he passed the place. In 1622 the king's road between Antvorskov slot and H. is mentioned, and in 1626 the peasants in Roskilde vasalry had restraining order to make a road for the king between H. and Roskilde. There is undoubtedly a close connection between these king's roads and "Kongens Hus" in H.  Still in 1639 neither road or house seem to be provided for. This year Jørgen Seefeldt at Ringsted kloster was ordered to as soon as possible to build the house in H. , which the king had commanded. From Chr. IV's last years and from Frederik III's time are several reports that royal persons resided in H., but under Chr. V. the house was probably demolished and the materials were sold. A farm close south southwest of the church has still got the name "Kongsgården".

On the north side of the eastern part of Langesø (lake) south of the village Valsømagle was a main farm, where the castle bank still exists. It seems that it from the 1300s belonged to a family Dyre. In 1377 is mentioned a Peder Dywr of Hwalsoemagle, in 1396 Jep Pedersen Dyur. In 1451 is mentioned a Jens Diur and 1459-61 Aage Diur in V.magle. In 1459-63 is also mentioned væbner Peder Nielsen Bryske, who used the coat of arms of the family Iis; in 1488-96 is mentioned a modest man Niels Mortensen in V. magle, whose ancestors by the kings had got sealed letters of "some freedom", which letters king Hans confirmed in 1488. In 1496 deeded Niels Mortensen his farm to hr. Henrik Meinstrup, high court judge at Sjælland, (+ 1497), who gave the king 2 other farms for his rights in the farm. It is obvious to assume that it was this farm, which his daughter, fru Anne Meinstrup (after her marriage to Holger Eriksen Rosenkrantz, + 1496.  She was called Anne Holgers) later owned and resided. She was in 1535 under grevefejden (civil war) killed by the peasants at the Sjælland Thing  in Ringsted, and her farm was destroyed by the rebels. After her the farm came probably to her daughter, Sofie Holgersdatter Rosenkrantz (+ 1558) who in 1551 or 52 after her husband hr. Axel Brahe's death gave her brother's children various estate and V. came probably to Erik Rosenkrantz of Arreskov (+ 1575), who in 1573 exchanged it with among others 17 farms in V.village to the king for Kærstrup (later Valdemars slot) at Tåsinge.  The farm was after the exchange equipped as a royal hunting farm with "fish parks" in the lake. In 1574 the king gave Eggert Ulfeldt at Roskildegård command to abolish the newly established royal hunting house in Høed, since one royal hunting house in this district was enough. Frederik II stayed in the following years often at V.gård, from where several royal letteres were issued. In 1585 the vasalry went to the king's "lone wolf ", Andreas von Stufenborg. In 1587 Andreas announced that the buildings were fallen into decay. Later the sources are silent about the farm. It was possibly replaced by the farm Nygård close by, which is mentioned in 1624, when the peasants in Valsømagle complained about that a field, which had earlier belonged to the village, was transferred to Nygård, without their taxes being reduced.  In 1627 high court judge Jakob Ulfeldt at Ringsted kloster had royal command to let the decayed buildings at Nygård break down and use the material for Ringsted kloster's corn barn.

At the north side of Haraldsted sø (lake ) south of Valsømagle village lies the enigmatic earthwork Ridebanen.  It consists of a 3 m high, half circular bank, closed towards the lake but open towards the land, where the two ends of the bank, with a distance of 50 m, join a hillside. A road leads down the hillside to the place inside the banks.

A little west of Ridebanen at the lakefront lies the wellkept castle bank Nygård, the old site of Valsøgård. It consists of a  four-sided bank, surrounded to the west by a moat, to the north, east and south by hollows, which originally might have been water-filled. In the southern hollow are two small rectangular ponds. Upon the castle bank are traces of a boulder foundation of two wings, an eastern and a northern. In the lakefront outside the castle bank are rests of pilework. Still rests of the road across the moat are seen. The farm was destroyed during the grevefejden (civil war) but was probably rebuilt.

Farthest out upon a small landtongue, which stretches from the east out to the low meadows at Gørlev sø, lies the wood-covered castle bank Gørrildsborg or Jarleborg; it consists of a rectangular bank (ab. 55 x 45 m). In connection to this a lesser front-terrain stretches to the northwest; this is hardly a part of the fortification, but only the farthest end of the ridge, in which the bank was cut out. The situation of the castle must probably be viewed in connection to the old "Kongevej" (king's road), which passed east of the bank and the river at Holtebro.

Upon a hill south of Skåninggård in Valsømagle were in 1938 found traces of a monk brick wall upon a boulder foundation. It is not known to where the wall work belongs. Some pieces of ceramic seem to date to the High Middle Ages.

Listed prehistorics: At Kastrupgård a long dolmen with 2 chambers; at Skee Tåstrup a very disorganized dolmen chamber. 6 hills, like the impressive Dronninghøj and Kernehøj, both west of H.
Demolished: A dolmen and 25 hills, mostly in the western part of the parish, Kongshøj west of H. was very impressive.

In Skee Mose (moor), was found a now disappeared settlement from the Maglemose culture. At Valsømagle was a rich and important sacrifice find from the beginning of Bronze Age with 5 axes, a sword, 4 spearheads, a dagger and a fish hook, it was found in two piles with about 80 m's distance. At H. a burial place from late Roman Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages :
Haraldsted (1231 Haraldstath, 1357 Konigsharaldstethe); Valsømagle (1321 Walsye Maklæ);  Skee (1256 Scethæ); Skee Tåstrup (ab. 1370 Thorstop); Allindelille (1257 Alunde paruum); Egtvedgård (ab. 1525 Egtuid); Kastrupgård (ab. 1525 Kastrvp). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Sorø amt, 1954.

photo 2004: grethe bachmann

Gram Castle/ Gram Slot, Sønderjylland, Haderslev amt.

Gram slot, Sønderjylland

ab. 25 km west of Haderslev 

Gram sogn, Frøs herred, Haderslev amt.

The district around Gram is an old cultural area, and in Gram parish was a large farm in the Middle Ages. In the beginning of the 1230s - while the main part of the document was made in king Valdemar's Jordebog - was this farm the king's estate, it was as big as 3-4 common peasant-farms.  Like other properties of the king the farm was also the Crown's estate. Gram played early an important role as a castle, and its strategic situation close to the beaten track, and close to an important crossing  by a river meant that it was fortificated early, but it also meant that it played a part in the many battles and wars, which swept over this part of the country in the Middle Ages.

At that time was the farm placed about 3 km longer to the northwest. Here is still seen the old and very delapidated castle bank, which held the oldest fortificated Gram. According to a tradition the castle was built in 1314 by hertug Erik of Sønderjylland, who had the farm in custody. The bank lies desolate in the southwestern outskirts of Gram Storskov (forest) out in Hornbæk eng (meadow) like a circular, low rise, only a few km from the road. 

The hertugs (dukes) of Sønderjylland were in periods of the 1200s at Gram - and in 1317 the king renounced all the Crown's estate in Sønderjylland. In 1347 is mentioned Jonas Iversen Vind of Gram, he was probably bailiff at the farm, maybe for the Holstein grafs, who at that time owned most of the Jutland peninsula. According to the historian Huitfeldt it was endowed to Erland Kalv, who in 1372 was at Riberhus as the hand of the Holstein grafs and fought against the lord at Gram, maybe because the lord was loyal to the king, or maybe it was just a local feud. During this feud decided the people of the town Ribe at their city-thing that no one in the town were allowed to bring goods or commodities to Gram. An immigrate from the Rheinland tried to bring some contraband to Gram, and this cost him his life. The most interesting in this connection was that the article he brought to Gram was a mixture of sulphur and salpetre, named "bøssekrud" (gunpowder), and the story about this affair is one of the oldest stories about the use of gunpowder in Denmark. Gram must at that point have been very strongly fortificated, since a castle like Riberhus considered it an opponent.

Supposedly had king Valdemar Atterdag during some of his reign Gram in his hands, but after his death the control went to the Holsteiners, and hertug Gerhard VI could in 1394 give Gram herred (district) as a pawned vasalry to the mighty Henneke Limbek of Tørning, who already earlier seems to have been in control of Gram castle.  In the beginning he had the castle as a vasalry, but later he and his son became the owners of Gram. Henneke Limbek was a son of Valdemar Atterdag's drost Claus Limbek and like him he was a political opportunist. He followed hertug Gerhard on the expedition to Ditmarsken og was killed here at his master's side in 1404. Henneke Limbek resided mostly at Tørning, he let Gram be managed by bailiffs - in 1398 is mentioned væbner Henrik Raspe. In 1399 Henneke Limbek is written on two deeds "of Gram", which indicates that he also resided here in periods.

The son Claus Limbek the Young, who took over Gram, was alike his father and grandfather. He also followed alternating political lines, soon against king Erik of Pommern - and at last the king summoned him for treason at Gram herred's Thing and in front of his bridge at Tørning, but since he did not arrive, he was summoned the second time. Claus Limbek now joined openly the Holsteiners, since he in 1421 from hertug Henrik had a livsbrev (letter for life) on four districts of Tørning , the so-called Tørning vasalry. This was an acknowledgement from the grafs in their role as hertugs of Schleswig. The break with the king was not possible to mend now, and Claus Limbek had to defend hinself at Tørning against the king's armies. He died a few years later when Tørning vasalry in 1428 with a pawn of 4.550 mark was transferred by the hertugs Gerhard and Adolf to hr. Henrik Ahlefeldt, who was married to his sister Catharine.

Gram disappeared from the Limbek family, since Claus Limbek probably did not leave any children,  but it was not Henrik Ahlefeldt who owned Gram. A few years after the last Limbek had died, it was Joakim Bjørnsen Bjørn from the wellknown Funen noble-family and probably son of queen Margrethe's faithful man, the knight Bjørn Olufsen Bjørn, who became the lord of Gram. After his death in ab. 1467 Gram went with his daughter Sophie to Tielluf (Ditlev) Reventlow from the Holstein line of the family, which now owned Gram for about 100 years, son after father.

Ditlev Reventlow was an energetic politician and collector of estate. After his death Gram was inherited by his son Joachim Reventlow who died in 1519 and was followed by the son Johan (+ 1563). The last Reventlow left only daughters, and Gram then came into the hands of a son-in-law Ditlev Buchwald of Pronstorf in Holstein. From his time is kept more information about the conditions at the estate than before. At the main farm were 150 oxes and 50 cows besides many horses, young cattle and sheep  - and in the forests were fattened up about 1000 oldensvin. (pigs living from mast). Furthermore were several farms, a mill and an inn  

a part of the estate.

Rhododendron in the park

The younger sons of Ditlev Buchwald were given Gram as their paternal inheritance. At this point the farm Nybøl was taken out as an independent property, which was the cause of century-long feuds between the owners of the two farms. From 1585 the owner of Gram was Christoffer Buchwald, who was called "Christoffer the Tall". In 1585-1630 were made economical improvements at Gram, and the main land was three- or four-doubled . Christoffer Buchwald was followed in 1614 by his son Ditlev Buchwald, under whom Gram became very indebted.  He sold (probably in the year 1638) the estate to Christian IV, who shortly after transferred it to the strange adventurer Dionysius von Podewils, who had been married to Christoffer Buchwalds' daughter Anne. 

Von Podewils was the most interesting owner of Gram since the Limbek-family's time. He was born in 1590 in Pommeranian and was from a noble family. He had in his youth been on many foreign universities and had travelled all over Europe. When he was 26 years old, he served as a hofmarskal by hertug Hans the Young of Sønderborg, 2 years later by hertug Adolf of Gottorp and later by the Gottorp hertug Frederik III. At this time Christian IV was  aquainted with him and valued him, he made him hofmarskal in 1634 by den udvalgte prins ( crownprince), where he was given the job to manage his wedding to princess Magdalene Sibylle.  In this period he became the owner of his first wife's paternal farm Gram. Ab. 1641 he gave up his office by the crownprince and crownprincess and was until his death serving the king as a very used diplomatic negotiator. 

He still had a good relation to the crownprince, and he died on  a travel with him in 1647 in Dresden. He left his wife of second marriage, Cathrine Hedevig  Ahlefeldt from Søgaard (+ 1680). He had in his home at Gram an excellent library, which was destroyed by the Swedes in 1644, and the Swedish vandalism at the estate shook Podewil's not especially strong economy. His son from second marriage Gregers von Podewils was only a child at his father's death. The family had to sell Gram at a compulsory sale in January 1664 to rigsgreve Christoffer Rantzau, but he transferred it already the next day to rigsfeltherre Hans Schack of Møgeltønder, in whose male line it stayed until 1821.

When Hans Schack took over Gram a new and bright period began in the historiy of the ancient farm. He was an energetic collector of estate and a wise administrator. His history actually belongs to Schackenborg castle, since Gram was considered a small estate. He bought at once some peasant-estate and started negotiations with king Frederik III about buying a large number of farms and houses in Haderslev amt, which belonged to the Crown. In June 1664 he bought 68 farms and houses, which were called Ny Gram (New Gram) but the farms were in a bad condition after the Swedish wars -  and only a rich man like Hans Schack was able to make the estate alive again. The estate was now almost doubled and much better off. Later in 1673 gave Christian V  Hans Schack the churches in Gram and Fole and the yearly income from these, which actually was a small income.  

The building at Gram was in a very bad condition when Hans Schack took over. At that time Gram had already been moved from the old castle bank. In the eastern wing of the present three-winged castle are rests of a building in late Gothic style. Hans Schack rebuilt Gram, and his and his wife's coat of arms are seen on a sandstone-tablet in the front of the building. He died in 1676 and was followed by his son Otto Didrik, lensgreve of Schackenborg (+ 1683). In fact there was a competition between Gram and  the main residence Schackenborg. Gram was more cosy and with a more idyllic situation, several owners resided for long periods at Gram -  and the place was always used as a dower house. Otto Didrik Schacks' widow, the spiritual and energetic Sophie Dorothea, born Marschalck, lived here after 1683. She had a close friendship with the members of the royal house,especially the women,  and she was very popular far and wide. The kurfyrstinde (kurfyrst = Elector) of Hannover wanted in 1702 to have her as a member of her court-staff, but no until two years later she gave up her peaceful life at Gram and became overhofmesterinde by queen dowager Charlotte Amalie. 

Grevinde Sophie Dorothea loved Gram and did much to make the place prettier. She was interested in the garden. It was in fashion during this period. She extended it and decorated it with avenues, terasses and all kinds of water fountains, even a water-fall. In the end of the middle avenue she built an Italian salon with a grotto. From the kitchen garden lead an avenue to a small grove with lovely walking paths. In the castle lake she had a large rowboat, it was large enough to hold a dinner table for 20 persons. This knowledge about Gram is due to an enthusiastic story from an intelligent traveller, the British envoy Vernon, who visited Gram in 1702. He is filled with admiration of the garden, where he found the prettiest promenades he had ever seen, and he is not less enthusiastic about the garden's creator Sophie Dorothea. He is more than taken in by the beautiful and natural way in which he - although not invited - was recieved, and he acknowledges her spirit and learning. Sophie Dorothea died shortly after having moved to Copenhagen in 1707, only 51 years of age, and the eldest son, Hans Schack the Young, became the owner, but 3 years later his wife died in childbirth at Gram after having given birth to the future lensgreve Otto Didrik. 

Anne Sophie, born Rantzau, became Hans Schack's second wife, and she gave more than anyone else lustre to Gram. She removed Gram from the lensgrevskab  by in 1736 buying it from her stepson, the lensgreve at Schackenborg. She let do some thorough rebuild of Gram and gave it its  present look. From her time origins the fine fir-planting in the park- the oldest firs in Denmark. She became a widow, when she was only 30 years old,  and during the 41 years she still lived she became one of the 18th century's greatest collectors of estate in the country .In the same year when she became the owner of Gram she bought from admiral C.C.Gabel the Zealand properties Giesegaard, Spanager and Ottestrup. In 1752 she bought Juellund and two years later Nybøl, which thus again was reunited with Gram. In Copenhagen she bought the Thott-palace and one of the Amalienborg-palaces , where she finished the palace, which later was called Christian IX's palace. She also bought a farm in Ribe.     

This energetic lady was very strict towards her peasants. She overburdened them with villeinage-work and tried to raise their taxes. The peasants however were stubborn and demanded their rights and protested by striking. She used the economic and judicial power she had as a landlord, but it seems that she did not use violent steps. The peasants' hatred had grown so strong that she after her death was referred to as "the evil grevinde". She had built several schools for the village children at the Gram estate, but this was not enough to reconcile the peasants. In her last years she wanted to sell her farms in Sønderjylland and sold them in 1759  to her stepson's son, lensgreve Hans Schack, whom she wanted to leave the Amalienborg-palace. Hans Schack told her that he could not afford this palace, and the old lady became angry and offered to rebuy the estates he had just bought from her. At last he let her have the estates again and took over the Amalienborg-palace. But the old lady could not forget and forgive. A few days before her death on 28. Septemer 1760 she made a will where all her estate in Sønderjylland and at Zealand had to be inherited by a brother of Hans Schack, namely greve Frederik Christian Schack (born 1736) and the will said that if he died without heirs the properties at Zealand had to go to Frederik's Hospital and Gram and Nybøl to Ribe Hospital. They must no go to Hans Schack at Schackenborg!

Grev Frederik Christian Schack was heavily in debt and the inheritance came to him as a lovely surprise, although he could not have the estate until its debt had been paid. The administration of Gram  succeeded however to get rid of the debt. In 1773 took grev Frederik over. He had a special interest in the garden and drafted some gardeners from abroad. In those years came some radical general improvements for the farmers and peasants . When Schack in 1774 had managed a contract with the peasants, he leased out Gram and Nybøl. Gram's fields were now split up in parcels, which were leased out to a tenant. In 1777 his estates were changed into the entailed estate Giesegaard and this Zealand manor became his residence. Gram was after this closely connected to Giesegaard. He died in 1790, and until 1798 were his properties administered for his underage heir by his widow grevinde Ida Schack, née Scheel Bille and major Rosenkrantz. 

Is he catching gold fish?

His son grev Knud Bille Schack took over in 1798 and in his period was Gram leased out. He was not popular by the peasants at Gram, since he tried to regulate their taxes after a new price increase. But there were several improvements at Gram during his ownership. After his death in 1821 the entailed estate Giesegaard went to his sister's son Henrik Adolf Brockenhuus and was the year after adopted into the grevskab (county) Brockenhuus-Schack. His properties were under private adminisration and Gram was in his time managed by kammerherre von Krogh. Grev Henrik died in 1847, and grev Knud Bille Ludvig Anton Brockenhuus-Schack took over the entailed estate. In his time were made several improvements of the estate. Both grev Knud and his succesor from 1892, the son grev Adolf Ludvig Brockenhuus-Schack (+ 1938) were of great importance to the district caused  by their national example, and Gram became a center of the Danishness. Grev Adolf let in 1905-06 the castle restore and the garden plan was re-laid. He was much more interested in Gram than his predecessors and the castle was used much more than before. The various farms in the estate were still leased out to tenants. 

In 1945 was the owner A/S Gram and Nybøl godser. 

Source:

Danske Slotte og Herregårde, bd. 16, Sønderjylland,  1967, Gram slot, lektor dr. phil Vilhelm Lorenzen

photo Gram slot, May 2007: grethe bachmann

Asmild church / Asmild kirke, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt

Asmild Church, at Viborg
Asmild sogn, Nørlyng herred, Viborg amt. 

Asmild Church is situated on the eastern side of the lake ' Viborg Søndersø.' It was built around 1090 under the rule of king Oluf Hunger and is one of the earliest stone churches in Denmark. The first building was a large three-naved church with choir and apse to the east and a great hall to the west, which raised above the roof of the nave as a low tower. It was larger than many other village churches built in the 1100-1200s, and with its placement upon a hill by the lake with a view to Viborg it was an impressive building. An explanation of its size was that it was the cathedral of the district before the building of the cathedral in Viborg had finished 1133, but even after this year the bishops still had constant connections to Asmild.

The bishop's own house was placed about 375 m east of the church, and bishop Eskil probably lived here in 1132. While celebrating mass bishop Eskil was killed on 20th of October 1132 in front of the altar. The reason for the murder was the civil war, and it was probably done by order of king Erik Emune. In the 1200s a brick house was built for the bishop on Klostermarken, and rests of a stone house have been found at this place. The famous bishop Gunnar, who wrote the first words in king Valdemar's Jyske Lov "Med Lov skal Land bygges" is mentioned in Asmild in 1251. He invited at least once or twice a year the parish people to his house and treated them with costly dinners and noble wines. The bishop's house is still mentioned in 1543.




About 1165 a three naved Augustine convent was built at the south side of the church. The convent belonged like the parish church to Viborg chapter. The church services were performed by the bishop and his canons. In the middle of the 1300s the church was ravaged by a violent fire, and a complete rebuilding was made of the middle part of the nave. There have been several changes up to the 1500. After the reformation Asmild belonged to the Crown - the nuns were allowed to stay, but after 1552 it became a royal entailed estate.

In 1907 the convent burnt down except the East Wing, which later was demolished in 1958. Today only the church building stands with the furnishing and the inventory which the owners since the reformation have given to the more than 900 year old church.

The inventory is old, rich and well preserved. The style being Renaissance, Rococco and Baroque. The Romanesque granite baptismal font is of a simple style and probably from the 1200s. In the western side of the church is a gallery with original portrait paintings of nine Oldenburg kings. In the porch is a rune stone which was found in 1950. The inscription cannot be interpreted fully. It says : 'Thorgunn Thorgot Thjodulvssøns datter satte denne sten efter Bose, sin mand, tidenders mand....... ' ( 'Thorgunn the daughter of Thorgot Thjodulvvsøn placed this stone after her husband Bose, man of times........) - meaning that he was famous and respected.

On the paved parking place south of the church the old buildings of the convent are marked with coloured stones, so visitors may catch an image of, how large it once was. The old well is digged out, and the deep, prettily put up well is seen today.Upon the low piece of land west of the church is a model of the medieval convent garden with old plants and medicinal herbs which was used by the monks and nuns.


Nørreådalen

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Overlund (1556 Offuerlun(n)d(t)); Gammel Asmild ( *1100s Asmiald, 1304 Asmeld, 1551 Gammel Asmildt); Lille Asmild ( 1664 Lille Aszmild); Asmildkloster (* 1441 Aszmild closter); Søgårde (1524 Siøgardt); Tranborg (1664 Tranborig); Dalsgård (1541 Dalsgord); Holmsgård
(1551 Holumsgaard); Søndermølle (1488 Sønder mølle).

Listed prehistorics: 34 hills, of which 25, among those the large Kongehøj, are situated in a group southwest of Bruunshåb; most of these are Stone Ages single grave hills. Other large hills are Langvadhøj in a plantation at Bruunshåb and Odshøj at Gl. Asmild.
Demolished or destroyed: 49 hills

Upon an islet in Nørreådalen is a settlement from Gudenåkulturen. At Søgårde's heath is a grave from early Roman Iron Age with a clay rattle; a grave with 5 claypots from the same time is known from Overlund. In Broddenbjerg mose (moor) is found a phallic wooden figure, probably an idol from Iron Age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962


photo 2003 and 2007: grethe bachmann