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.
 

Vester church/ Vester kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt.

Vester church, photo gb

Vester church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a tower to the west from 1917. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars and raw boulders upon a beveled-edge plinth - and from original details is the north door, which is out-bricked with a modern window and a plastered lintel, while the south door, which was bricked-up in 1917, is vaguely visible. The north side has kept its low, rather highly placed round-arched windows, one upon the choir, two upon the nave,while the east window of the choir is  bricked-up in the lighting. The round choir arch stands inside with simple framestone, and both nave and choir have beamed ceilings. In 1913 was at the west end of the building built a small tower with glare-decorated walls and a pyramid roof. The bottom room functions as a front hall,  and a porch at the southside of the nave was removed. The church is whitewashed on the south and east side, upon the north side only the upper third of the walls is whitewashed. The church has a modern tiled roof.


Interior: The altarpiece is a painting from ab. 1915 by J.Skovgaard. A chalice from ab. 1850 with stamp: Lind (Horsens). An oval wafer box, made by J.R. Hofgrefe, Vejle. Balustershaped ore candelabres. ab. 1625. Very little, well carved late Gothic choir arch crucifix. A Romanesque granite font, a rather primitive work with vaguely sketched sepals and double rope sticks upon the basin. The foot is shaped like a cubic capital. A south German dish ab. 1550-75. A pulpit in Art Noveau was ab. 1915 given by Niels Jensen and wife, Højby. The earlier pulpit, a simple joinery from the beginning of the 1800s, lies upon the attic. ( 1964) Bell 1833, I.C and H.Gamst.

Rørbæk Hovedgaard, 2009,

photo: gb.

Rørbæk Per Marqvardsen in Rørbæk is mentioned 1487 and 1490, but he was probably not nobility; in 1542 and 1549 R. belonged to Hans Johansen (Lindenov) of Fovslet (+ 1568), in 1561 to his brother  Anders Hansen (Lindenov)( + 1562) and thereafter to A.H.'s daughter Else Lindenov (+ 1613), m. to Absalon Gøye  (+ 1602); her heirs took in common over her estate, but wanted an exchange in 1621; latest from 1630 the farm belonged to Erik Bille of Kærsgård , after whose death 1641 there was a feud about the inheritance.  In 1642 R. belonged to Levin Bülow (+ childless 1657), then to Mogens Høegh (Banner)( + 1659), whereafter it was inherited by Valdemar Skram of Todbøl and Otte Krafse of Egholm. The last mentioned's half came before 1662 to Steffen Rohde's heirs, who in 1667 outbought Valdemar Skram. In 1713 R. was on an auction after Franz Rohde (+ same year) sold to lieutenant Sejer Sejersen  (+ 1715), from whom it came to his brother captain-lieutenant Johan Jakob Sejer (+ 1727) .
Later owners: Peder Simonsen Schiønning, N. Karstoft, Jens Jørgen Bredal of Hammergård, Jean de Trappaud, Arnt Peter Engwari at Havhus, Johan Jakob Sejer, Christen Christensen in Egholm Mill, Søren and Anders Holst, Nikolaj C. Sveistrup, N.A.J. Thyregod, Inger Eriksdatter , J.N. Thyregod, Jakob Helms, Jens Nielsen, Den jyske kreditforening, Iver Hansen Nielsen, Niels Jensen. J. Jensen, H. Ørnsholt Jensen ( in 1964).

Rørbæk Hovedgaard at present: 
Niels Jensen and his descendants are those who have owned Rørbæk for the longest period, from 1902-1991, almost 100 years. In 1991 Niels Jensens descendants sold the farm to Aage V. Jensens Fond, who in 2002 sold Rørbæk Hovedgaard to the family Olesen.

Risager was in 1542 owned by Birgitte Rostrup, in 1574 by her brother's son Hans Rostrup, in 1589 by Bertel Holck of Højgård, in 1606 probably by Karen Viffert, widow after Timme Rosenkrantz of Rydhave. In 1633 Abel Bryske sold it to Christoffer Gersdorff. In 1662 it was owned by Karen Dyre of Knivholt, who in 1666 deeded it with mill and some estate to her son-in-law Jochum Nordmand of Dubnitz, whose wife Birgitte Arenfeldt still in 1677 is mentioned of R., although it in 1675 by Claus Dyre of Sindinggård was deeded to Anders Rohde of Bajlumgård; in 1714 Albert Sejer's widow died at R. and in 1716 Johan Jakob Sejer of Rørbæk lived here; in 1773 R. was a peasant-farm under Rørbæk.

Rørbæk sø 2009, photo: gb

In the lake of Rørbæk sø, Kulsø and Nedersø is a good stock of pike and bream. At Rørbæk sø is a put and take.

Castle bank ? Upon a leveled eastern end of a bank, originally surrounded by water near the southside of Rørbæk sø, a little northeast of Rørbæk, the farm's earlier place is pointed out. Here is seen a cellar room of raw granite boulder , ab. 13 x 5 m. On this place and upon the small plateau on the nearby land are seen brick pieces. A plank bridge, from which poles were removed in the 1920s, led across the now dried part of the lake to the solid land,  where also were brick pieces upon a small plateau.

By Rørbæk was a farm Stovgård (1543 Stofvegaard).   

Listed prehistorics: 18 hills, of which Kongenshøj at Vesterlund is large, but somewhat digged.
Demolished or destroyed: 74 hills. 

At Vester mølle (mill) is a settlement from Gudenåkulturen.

Names from the Middle Ages  and 1600s: Vester Kirke (1291 Wæstærth); Vesterlund (1419 Vester Lundt); Lindet (1461 Lindued); Skovsbøl (1456 Skousbøll); Risager (1291 Wæstær Risæ, 1638 Risagger); Rørbæk (1471 Rørbech, 1487 Rørbæk); Vester Mølle (1664 Vester Mølle)

.
Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.
photo 2009: grethe bachmann

Taulov Church/ Taulov kirke, Elbo herred, Vejle amt.

Taulov church, Google earth.

Taulov Church
The large whitewashed church in Taulov has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west  and a porch to the south . At the east side of the choir is a strange, almost circular burial chapel from 1581. The Romanesque building is built in granite ashlars upon a double plinth, incomplete attic above a beveled edge. The southdoor, which is in use, has two columns, one octagonal with cubic caspitals and bases. Upon one corbel is a primitive lion-relief and upon the base of the opposite column is a figure and a male head . The north door is bricked-up. In the north wall of the nave is a round-arched window, bricked up in the wall run - and in the Koldinghus Museum is a window lintel with a warrior, carrying a shield and a sword. An ashlar with a male head is inserted in a stone bench in the porch. The choir and nave have flat-plastered ceilings, the choir has a simple stuccato decoration. In the late Gothic period the heavy tower was built, which crossvaulted bottom room opens towards the nave in a round tower arch. It has on the north side a bricked-up flatcurved opening from free stairs to the middle storey. The upper section with stepped gables, east-west, is very re-bricked (like in 1863 and 1868) when the other part of the building got its cornices, and in 1950. The porch is also a late Gothic addition in yellow monk bricks. The stepped gable has a glare decoration with six round-arched high-glares flanked by circular glares and above some beveled brick-shifts. The porch has tiled roofs like the choir, nave and tower. In 1581 jomfru Berete Rosenkramtz let the strange, almost circular burial chapel build east of the choir. It is built in red monk bricks upon a beveled edge plinth in granite ashlars and has a high cone roof with lead thatching. The room is inside with a cross vault. Upon the east side are two square stones with Berete Rosenkrantz' paternal and maternal coat of arms. The chapel is now furnished as a priest room (source 1964), but earlier while it was a burial chapel, it was divided from the choir by a wrought iron gate from 1758.

Taulov church, Google earth.

The communion table is covered in a marble-painted panel from ab. 1590. The altarpiece is a carved work in bruskbarok (cartilage Baroque) from 1683, now completely cleansed. In a niche in the main field is inserted a plaster copy of Thorvaldsen's Christ-figure. Heavy baluster-shaped candelabres, given 1636 by Hans Jensen in Holum. Large, well-carved choir-arch crucifix from the beginning of the 1500s. A Romanesque granite font with arcade-decorations upon the basin. Very worn south German dish, ab, 1575. A pulpit from the same time and by the same craftsman as the altarpiece with Evangelist figures after Thorvaldsen. It was repaired 1889. A fourmaster ship from present time "Queen Margaret". Bell 1876 P. Meilstrup. The older bell was by Clavs v. Dam 1643.
Epitaph for F.C. Bredahl, Søholm, put up 1729. Gravestone 1581 for Sidsel Rosenkrantz ( +1557),and jomfru Berete Rosenkrantz, a figure stone with widow and jomfru. A stone for the first Lutheranian priest in the parish, Bertil Iversen was in 1914 given to the Thaulow Museum at Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo.

Søholm belonged to Ribe bishopric, but came during the reformation to the Crown, in 1547 it was endowed to Else Thott, widow after Claus Krummedige. After her death in 1550 S. was laid under Koldinghus and was inhabited before 1577 by herredsfoged Claus Hønborg, whose wife 1588 who was instructed to keep order in the king's chamber and see to that he got the supplies he was used to.  In 1662 the farm was desolate, in 1766 the Crown sold S. to Iver Hansen.  

Hønborg (1369 Hønæborigh,1429 Hønburgh) was earlier a royal castle. Known vasals were: Peder Iversen Lykke 1369; Gotschalck? Skarpenberg 1377; hr Folmer Mortensen (Gyrstinge) 1445; Peder Brockenhuus 1487; hr. Claus Krummedige 1493; hr Thomas Nielsen (Lange) m. to the previous' widow, 1504 and 1520, his stepson hr Erik Krummedige (+ 1541) and his widow Sidsel Rosenkrantz (+ 1557), whereafter the estate was withdrawn and laid under Koldinghus vasalry. It was from Hønborg Christian II - after having  received the aristocracy's resignation Letter - let himself ferry to Middeelfart several times. The castle was destroyed by the peasant during the grevefejden (civil war) and again during the Thirty Year's War by Wallenstein's troups.

Skærbæk Marina and Skærbækværket(background)

Skærbækværket was built 1946-50. Via Elsam it cooperates with 5 other værker in Jutland and Fyn and with Germany and Sweden.

In 1629 Chr IV had plans about moving to Kolding town and castle.

Northwest of Skærbæk village was a sacred spring Korskilde or Rands kilde.   

At Gudsø were battles in 1849 when the Danes after an energetic fight against a superior enemy withdrew to Fredericia.

At Taulov station was in 1946 raised a memorial for 3 freedom fighters: E. Månsson, K.G.Kolding and H. Jacobsen, executed by the Germans in 1945. In Skærbæk was in 1955 raised a memorial for 3 drowned fishermen.

The old timbered vicarage in Taulov from 1840 was broken down in 1963, the stable- building was rebuilt at the Open Air Museum, Sorgenfri. (Zealand)

Towards Lillebælt upon a meadowland lies between high banks the significant medieval Hakenør Voldsted  (Hønborg slot), an almost square castle bank with round corners and steep banks. The castle bank was surrounded by a ring moat with an outer dam. Both sections are very leveled,  probably with earth from the bank, which sides seem cut off. The top surface was cultivated even in the 20th century. Upon the castle bank are brick pieces, also upon the landtongue stretching out towards the bank are brick pieces. Here was probably a building in addition to the castle itself. Upon the Koldinghus Museum and the National Museum are kept several pieces findings from the castle bank.

At Hønborg castle bank were in 1858-1910 found 81 spread coins, earliest from Erik Klipping; most of the coins from Erik of Pommern's time.

Taulov, landscape, Google earth.

The village Taulov Nebel (1569 Tavlo Nøbel) grew together with Taulow Stationsby, and the name is not used anymore.

Listed prehistorics: four hills, two in Tårup skov, one hill west of Tårup ir rather big but pre-digged.

Demolhsed or Destroyed: 67 hills,of which most in the southern half of the parish, In 1638 is mentioned a stone-encircled giant grave in Børup skov.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Taulov (1330 Taflygh, 1396 Tafloghe); Skærbæk (1436 Skerbek); Tårup (1479 Torduph, 1532 Tordop); Børup (1502 Børup); Studsdal (1664 Studtzdall); Oddersted (1578 Odersted); Børup Sande (1590 Børup Sand); Gudsø (1524 Gutzwiig); Søholm (1524 Sioholm).



Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.
photo: Google earth.  
    

Jungshoved church/ Jungshoved kirke, Bårse herred, Præstø amt.

Jungshoved church, ab. 8 km southeast of Præstø( photo gb

Jungshoved church The church at Jungshoved lies close to the shore of Jungshoved cove, just outside the castle bank of (not (demolished) Jungshoved castle. The church has a late Romanesque choir and nave from ab. 1225-50 in small limestone ashlars and monk bricks with a tall profiled plinth . In the choir is one and in the nave two bricked-in windows, visible from the loft, in the choir is a bricked-in priest's door, the round-arched door of the nave sits in a protruded portal. In the early Gothic period the nave got a western extension in limestone ashlars with a few belts of monk bricks.Its gable was rebuilt ab 1450 in monk bricks. In the late Gothic period the south side of the choir and the eastern corner of the nave had supporting columns; the choir arch was made pointed, and the choir and nave were overvaulted. North of the choir was built a vaulted sacristy in monk bricks, and north of the nave -because of the close coastline - was raised the bottom section of a tower with a western staircase-house in monk bricks, with a few limestone-ashlar belts; in front of the south door was built a porch. In the beginning of the 1600s the upper storeys of the tower were built in small stones with stepped glare gables. In 1882 the whole church got round-arched windows.

photo 2013: gb

Upon the upper walls of the nave are rests of Gothic frescoes, figures and wining leaves, older than the vaults.

Interior Altarpiece ab. 1590 by "Bårse herred's jointer", it is very re-made with an inserted plaster relif of Thorvaldsen's Christ in Emmaus. Altar candelabres 1649 with the coat of arms of the vasal Ove Gedde (Gjedde) and wife Dorte Urne. Late Gothic procession-crucifix ab. 1510-20. A square font in burnt clay with reliefs by Thorvaldsen, rest of a medieval Gotland limestone font in the porch, a Netherland baptismal dish ab. 1625. High Renaissance pulpit ab. 1605-10, from the Schrøder workshop in Næstved, with Evangelist-statuettes. Chandelier ab. 1600. Bells: 1616 by Hartvig Quellichmeyer and 1897 by Løw og søn. The tower room was furnished in the 1780s as a burial chapel for the Brockenhuus family, above the door a stone tablet with the coat of arms of Brockenhuus and Holstein. In the chapel two similar sarchophagus in Norwegian marble, made in 1787-88 by Johs Wiedewelt. Here rest the district commander Hendrick Adam Brockenhuus (+ 1803) and wife Elisabeth, née Holstein Ledreborg (+ 1786).

Jungshoved, small marina downside church and bank 2013: gb

Jungshoved manor. In Valdemar Jordebog is mentioned "junxhoulæth". From chiefs and vasals are known - the earliest especially from the Hanse-recesses - ridder Otto v Budelsbak (1364-71), Henning v d.Lancken (1376), ridder Jens Rud the Elder, mEntioned 1390, gave back the vasalry in 1393, Mogens Gøye (ab. 1440), ridder Korfitz Rønnow (1474-86), Ebbe Mogensen Galt (1494- 1526), his son Anders Ebbesen Galt, with whose widow the vasalry came to her 2. husband Børge Trolle of Lillø. He was in 1571 replaced as vasal by rigshofmester Peder Oxe until (1574), among the following vasals were rigshofmester Christoffer Valkendorf (1583-87 and again 1597-1601), Mourids Podebusk, who was infamous for his brutal behavior of the peasants (1589-94) and admiral Ove Gedde (Gjedde).

Jungshoved church, 2013: gb

Chr IV had a stutteri at Jungshoved, which in 1628 was said to be very delapidated - and it suffered much damage during the Swedish wars. The manor was plundered, the woodwork burnt down and the libray-books of Jørgen Reedtz were  stolen. The local legends origin from this period, about the peasant Svend Poulsen's (= Svend Gønge)  exploits in and around Jungshoved, which formed the starting point of Carit Etlars novel "Gøngehøvdingen". In 1665 Jungshoved was deeded to greve Christoffer Parsberg, who in 1671 exchanged it for Torbenfeld. to prince Jørgen (+ 1708), Chr. V.'s brother, who had got Vordingborg district for life (form of vasalry). After the prince in 1683 had married the English princess Anne ( died in 1714 as queen of England), and had settled in England, he let his property in Denmark manage by Chr. Siegfried Plessen, in 1714 Jungshoved was taken over by the Danish Crown and was incorporated in the rytterdistrikt equestrian district of Vordingborg. The estate was in good condition, but the castle did not exist anymore. In 1761 Fr.V. sold Jungshoved and Oremandsgård to Henrik Adam Brockenhuus, who bought Nysø in 1763, with which estate Jungshoved later was united.

Jungshoved castle bank, photo:gb

Jungshoved Voldsted (Castle Bank)   In the southwestern part of the parish, close to the beach and by the inlet to a small cove between and dividing  Jungshoved parish and Allerselv parish, about 60 m south of the church, lies Jungshoved Voldsted ("Slotsbakken"), an irregular and steep, about 47 m broad and about 5 m high bank, which uneven surface covers foundations of the castle. Nothin is known about the earliest castle buildings - but once were some timbered buildings 1) "The new House" with the king's rooms 2) " The old House" with the ladies room, two bay windows and a staircase-tower with spire etc. and 3) likewise an old house with stegers=kitchen,  bryggers = scullery and some chambers, and beside and free on the 4th side was a one storey house, where the managerhad a room. The castle was probably in ruins from ab. 1660. The last building seems to be broken down in 1714, and all was left was the farm building and a manager's house. In 1717 the rest was broken down and the materials were used for stables and baraks in Vordingborg. On the actions of the National Museum was in 1894 cut a crossroad through the thicket on the almost overgrown castle bank. The foot of the bank is surrounded by an almost overgrown moat and around this is a lower bank, which south and east side again is covered by a moat, which leads out to the beach. Around the church were found building remains which were said to be from an earlier village, but they probably origin from the farm building of the castle. The castle is very old, but nothing is known about its earlier history.

Roneklint, lighthouse and entrenchment, 2013: gb

North of Roneklint lies a entrenchment by the beach "Gamle Batteri".

Jungshoved parish seems to have been an island in ancient times between Præstø fjord and the cove on the southwestern border where lie bogs and water streams - and the inhabitants call the place "Øen" ( the island) The parish, of which a part was called Smidstrup parish in the 1400s, was an independent parish with own priest, but in 1718, when the vicarage burnt down, it became an annex of the town Præstø, until it again became an independent parish in 1762.


Listed prehistorics: In Bønsvighoved skov is a long dolmen and 2 passage graves, of which one "Svend Gønges Hule" is wellkept. At Stavreby the hill Mislehøj.

Demolished or destroyed: a passage grave and 2 other stone graves, all at Bønsvig and 26 hills, of which 18 were in an oblong group east of Ambæk.

Upon low water outside Jungshoved castle bank is a settlement from Ertebøllekulturen.

Source: Trap Danmark, Præstø amt, 1955   
Text (translated) and photo Jungshoved 2013: grethe bachmann 

Fanefjord church/ Fanefjord kirke, Mønbo herred, Præstø amt.

Fanefjord kirke, stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Fanefjord church is one of the most important cultural and historical churches in Denmark. It lies upon a hillside at the island of Møn with a beautiful view to the fjord, which gave it its name, Fanefjord. The waters of the fjord are a section of a sound called Grønsund. From the church is a view across the waters

to the island of Falster - and the large church can be seen far and away at the western part of Møn. The placement of the church at an unusual   distance from the villages must be due to that the original church was built on royal initiative. The parish itself lies over 2 km from the church like the vicarage in Vollerup.

Fanefjord

In the bay downside the church it is supposed that the war fleet of archbishop Absalon and king Valdemar  met in the 1160s before their attack on the Wends on the other side of the Baltic Sea. Valdemar built a castle tower by Fanefjord which was never proved archaeologically, but the castle site probably hides on the south side of the bay. Here was a small, but international herring market at that time. The original church served the king and the merchants before it served the local population

Fanefjord church is famous for its frescoes from the late 1400s which are the main work of the artist known as the Elmelunde-master. The large church with two naves was built in the second half of the 1200s as a successor of a royal church (probably a wooden church)  at the castle and the market place at Fanefjord.


Fanefjord church was inaugurated to Sct. Nicolaus. It has a longhouse with  a triangular eastern finish, a tower to the west and a porch to the north, all in monk bricks. The western section of the longhouse is the over 7 m high nave from an early Gothic church from ab. 1250-1300; the longwalls are squared by slender supporting columns. In the westernest bay to the north was until 1931 kept a 3,18 m high point arched window in each wall, there were only three windows in each wall, since the next westernest bay is dominated by the doors, of which the southern is bricked-up, the northern has a pointed arch. The western gable, which is hidden by the tower, has three point arched glares, the triumph arch is pointed and upon the east side of the wall are traces from an earlier choir, which like the nave seems to have had an original vault. In three of the nave's corners are small corner columns and upon the longwalls, similar to the outer bay division, are small lisens, which do not belong to the present vault.

Considering the big broadth of the nave it is probable that it was two-naved like the church in Stege. The present 2 x 4 cross vaults, which are carried by three arcade pillars dividing the nave, are from the late 1400s - and the longhouse choir from the beginning of the 1500s. Its triangular eastern finish is possibly influenced by Stege church's latest choir plan, the polygon-corners have small supporting pillars, and to the northeast is a point arched glare, to the southeast a bricked-up window and to the south a point arched, but remade door. The polygonsides are finished by a common gable with a horisontal glare decoration. Contemporary to the choir is the remade porch and the tower, which "wrong" gables (south-north) have a mighty rise and a glare system,which reminds about the one of the choir. The vaulted tower room, which opens to the nave in two point arched arcades, has to the south a point arched window. The tower stairs lie to the north. The present round arched windows of the church origin probably from a repair in 1724. The possibly late Gothic fence-wall, which follow the edge of the church hill is broken to the south by a flat round arched portal.

The Frescoes:
When you enter the church room you are overwhelmed by the rich picture bible in the vaults and on the triumph walls. The frescoes in Fanefjord are some of the most important frescoes in a Danish church. Except the frescoes in the middle of the choir arch, which are from the 1300s, the rest of the frescoes are made by the Elmelunde-Master in the late 1400s - and the paintings in Fanefjord church are his main work. His other works can be seen in other chuches on Møn, Falster and Lolland, like in Keldby and Elmelunde etc.
His characteristica is the simple humoristic description of the biblical scenes with clothes and buildings from the 1400s - and contemporary types of people. Except for the dresses his image of people are without actual personal features. Common for each and everyone, both Christ and the simplest sinner, are the large wide eyes, which give the persons a rather simple-minded appearance. His colours are warm, especially the variations of red with details in green, yellow and black. 

pulpit

Gotland limestone font

Interior Freestanding communion table is built in monk bricks, the altarpiece was made in ab. 1630 by the jointer, who was also the master of the pulpit in Stege church, the original decoration was brought to light in 1934. A figure of Maria with child origins from ab. 1300, it is now in Stege museum. Late Gothic altar candelabres ab. 1550. An early Gothic baptismal font in Gotland limestone, a South German baptismal dish,  ab. 1550-75, a pulpit in same type as in Elmelunde church and probably by the same master, contemporary sounding board, a baldacin below it from 1934. Upon the northside of the nave and the choir are closed Renaissance pews  from ab. 1600, almost similar to the now destroyed pews in Keldby church, besides are some early and newer gable-planks from various pews, which now are in Stege museum. Iron bound moneyblock 1756, four money tablets. Bells: 1) cast 1495 by Olaf Kegge, 2) 1826 by J.C. and H. Gamst, Copenhagen.


Parish history:
In the parish was in the old days, according to a report of Hans Viborg in 1679, a chapel at Hårbølle, and here was a monument Pilgrimsstenen (Pilgrim Stone), formed like a coffin and with a cross upon each hollowed corner and probably also with a crucifix.


North of the ferry place in Hårbølle at Hestehaven is a rectangular castle bank or a fort, which to the south and east has rests of  surrounding moats.

North of Fanefjord lies the castle bank Borgsted which during 1. World War was reshaped ino a military site. It was until then only a flat oval rise (60x65) with traces of a surrounding moats, according to early descriptions there were towards land double moats with a bank between, a well was found and ceramic pieces from ab. 1300 and rests of a wooden bridge, which lead across the moat, but no foundations. This might have been the site of the castle Nyhus (Prince Vitslav's castle),  which was often confused with Stegeborg, it defended itself against the Norwegian fleet and Marsk Stig's attack in 1289. The castle was probably originally laid out for defense of the ferry place to Falster, and from the same reason was also the field-work, which is seen in the ferry-farm's garden . 


In Askeby is found a somewhat levelled castle bank Hovgården, which square castle bank 60x60 was once surrounded by moats  and probably also banks. Charcoal has been found, but no rests of buildings. According to the legend a "Kong Kat" lived here.

At the foot of the hill Præstebjerg was a sacred spring Blåkilden. 

In the border to Kokseby was a large carved granite boulder Pilgrimsstenen, probably the same as is mentioned in Hårbølle chapel above, to which was connected a legend about Truels' daughters from "Ridder Truels Borg" or "Kokseby Slot". It is certain that in Kokseby was a larger farm, and a farm in the village is still called "Slottet", where were found rests of walls etc. Fru Grethe Rebers (?) of Kokseby Slot was burnt on the stake in the 1400s.

In the parish was a village called Bredemad  in 1596, which in the 1600s was said to have 6 farms and 1 house. Besides is mentioned a village Pested in 1429.

Green Hunter's Hill detail.

Green Hunter's Hill (enlarge)

Listed prehistorics: south of Fanefjord church lies one of the largest long dolmens in Denmark Grønjægers Høj ( the Green Hunter's Hill) or Grønsalen (the Green Hall): 102 m long, 2 m high, with an almost flat surface , with 3 chambers, surrounded by 134 closely placed very large edge stones. According to tradition Dronning Phane ( Fane) and King Grøn (King Green) were buried here.  Upon Vollerup mark 2 dolmen chambers with cover stones , 13 hills most of them in the forests.

Destroyed: 4 long dolmens 6 indefinable dolmens, a passage grave and 73 hills.

In a moor east of Hårbølle were found 16 pretty flint daggers. In Hårbølle Hestehave was examined a burial place from late Bronze Age with ab. 40 graves.

Names from the Middle Ages: Fanefjord (ab. 1370 Fanæfyorth); Vindebæk (1513-33 Wynnæbæck, 1596 Windebeck); Hårbølle (1513-33 Harrebølle, 1596 Harbølle); Vollerup (1562 Vollerup); Kokseby (1429 Koxebye); Store Damme (1513-33 Damme, Dammæ); Tostenæs (1422 Tostenes, 1462 Tostnæs); Lerbæk (1596 Leerbeck); Askeby (1596 Askebye); Hovmarken (1429 Hovemark).

Source: Trap Danmark, Præstø amt, 1955. 

photo: grethe bachmann and stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Stouby church/ Stouby kirke and Rosenvold, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

Stouby church, ab. 15 km east of Vejle, photo: gb

Stouby kirke
The large whitewashed church in Stouby is in its present look a Gothic longhouse building with a tower to the west and a porch to the south. From the original Romanesque travertine church is left only the northside of the nave with a late Romanesque extension to the west. A single round arch window is seen as an outside niche, the extension, which wallwork is thicker than the original wall, has in the top a frieze of narrow *lisens. In the Gothic period, probably ab. 1400-1450, the building was reshaped into a longhouse with a triangular choir finish, which in the east wall has a *firpasblænding. The high, light room has inside four cross vaults with profiled ribs and very narrow *gjordbuer and a half star vault in the choir section. The tower to the west in monk bricks is a little newer than this rebuild, and it lost its vaults at a later date - there is now a beamed ceiling in the tower room, which opens toward the nave in a new tower arch. Its upper sections are cut down till a little above the height of the nave, probably in 1817 (iron numbers  and initials for F.Rantzau). The tower stairway  is in the southwest corner of the nave. The building was restored 1877 and the porch origins from this time.

* lisens = protruding pilastres/bands
* firpasblænding = a glare similar to a fourclover
* gjordbue = a reinforcement curve of a vault


Interior: In the choir are 4 pretty mosaic windows from 1952 by Kresten Iversen. The altarpiece is a skilled carving from 1731 , it was given by Dean Jørgen Knudsen Beesche and made by Jens Jensen or Jørgen Slache. An altarpainting, copy  after Carl Bloch, hangs in the porch (1964). Chalice 1786, given by Carl Adolph Rantzau and Christiane Ernestine Frederiche Vedel. A Romanesque granite font with four horisontal angels, one is Sct Michael, fighting a monster. A pulpit in late Renaissance 1640 with old decorations. A bell from 1708, Friderich Holtzmann.

Rosenvold slot, photo: gb

Rosenvold is mentioned the first time in 1575 when Karen Gyldenstierne, widow after Holger Ottesen Rosenkrantz of Boller and their heirs at R. had permission to seek to Stouby church, while the ealier owners of R. had seeked to Barrit church.  Their son Frederik Rosenkrantz is written of the farm in 1599, but he was exiled the same year because of his relation to Rigborg Brockenhuus and died in 1602. His brother Otte Christoffer Rosenkrantz took over R., but at his death in 1621 R. and Boller had, because of debt, to be sold to Ellen Marsvin, who inn 1630 had to give the farms to her daughter Kirstine Munk. She died in 1658 and her daughter Elisabeth Augusta sold R. in 1660 to stiftamtmand, gehejmeråd Henrik Rantzau (+ childless in 1674). The farm was inherited by his brother's son  kammerherre Henrik Rantzau (+ 1687), his brother grev Otto Rantzau (+ 1719) the son generalmajor grev  Frederik Rantzau (+ unmarried 1726), his brother viceroy in Norway, grev Christian Rantzau (+ 1771), who in 1756 established "Det grevelige Rantzauske Forlods af R".   

Later owners: The family Rantzau up till present.


Rosenvold, the main building is listed in class A.

Some extra details in history: 
The castle ruin is still seen in the forest northeast of Rosenvold. Staksevold was probably withdrawn and broken down by queen Margrethe I in her work of gathering Denmark and the Nordic countries in the second half of the 1300s.

In front of the coast banks on the low meadows towards Vejle fjord and a few hundred meters from the sea Karen Gyldenstierne built her dower house Rosenvold in 1585. Before this her husband Holger Rosenkrantz had established Rosenvold as a main farm ab. 1570. He had bought the areas of the earlier Staksevold, a "røverborg" (robbers' castle), which was a stone tower with a bank and moat and outside with wooden buildings and a stable.
At the death of Karen Gyldenstierne her two sons took over Rosenvold, first Frederik Rosenkrantz, who run into bad luck because of his relation to the queen's Lady in Waiting Rigborg Brockenhuus from Egeskov. As a punishment she was immured at Egeskpov, while Frederik contracted the wrath of the king and was exiled. His brother Christoffer took over the estate, but he got some economic problems and had in 1621 to sell Rosenvold to Ellen Marsvin of Holckenhavn , wjo was the big collector of estate at that time and the mother-in-law of Christian IV. In 1630 Ellen Marsvin was at the kings command ordered to give Rosenvold to her daughter Kirsten Munk, since she was banished from the court after having refused the king access to her chamber. Kirsten Munk's heirs had to sell Rosenvold in 1660 to Henrik Rantzau of Schönweide in Holstein and stiftamtmand in Århus. The Rantzau family is still the owners of Rosenvold and has been for almost 350 years. (source.: Rosenvold.dk/)  

Rosenvold Marina, photo:gb

Gravengård etc was by hr. Oluf Stigsen (Krognos) pawned in 1497 to bishop Niels Clausen in Århus, later it belonged to the son hr. Mourids Olufsen (Krognos)(+ 1550), with whose daugther it came to Holger Rosenkrantz of Boller in 1662. G was from Boller laid out to Gabriel Marselis at Havreballegård.

The medieval castle bank Gravengård was situated close north of Lille Gravengård about 500 m northwest of Stouby kirke.  A farm was earlier  situated at the castle bank. After a fire in 1926 the farm was outparcelled and the site was levelled. The castle bank lay in a pond which water surrounded it on three sides, upon the fourth side was probably a moat. In the 19th century were probably destroyed some banks. Upon the castle bank were buildings in monk bricks.

Rohden was in 1662 two farms belonging under Rosenvold. In 1758 grev Christian Friis (of Vadskærgård) of Frijsenborg deeded both farms to manager Hans Erik Saabye, later of Brantbjerg, and in 1771-72 justitsråd Jørgen Hvass de Lindenplam of Tirsbæk deeded the two farms to Christen Mikkelsen Kjær, who in 1789 only owned one farm, Neder Rohden. This farm his son Jens Kaj Kjær willed shortly before his death in 1826 to his daughter Christiane Kjær, in 1827 m. to Jørgen Hansen, later of Borchsminde.
Later owners: Jacob Lund Eggertsen, Jens Simonsen Buch, Nicolai Jensen Jelling, Johannes Brorson, Flemming Lerche, Folmer Lüttichau.

Niels Jensen of Ullerup is mentioned 1340-46.  

Jysk Nervesanatorium at Vejle fjord, built 1898-99. = Vejlefjord Sanatorium.

According to Pont Atlas Gammelby was originally called Stouby, but since a part of the town burnt down and was rebuilt about 1 km from there, the new town was called Stouby, while the rest was called Gammelby. Since the vicarage lies here, the parish was for a period called Gammelby parish.

forest at Fakkegrav, photo: gb

At the beach were some farms Falsterbo (1664 Falsterboe). Northeast of Hugholm were some houses called Himmerig. From dissapeared farms are Smedegård (1497 Smedegard) in Hyrup and Bjerregård (1683 Bierregaard, Berrgord). Furthermore the houses Knoseborg or Hulvejen (1664 Huolweyen or Knoseborrig), Sanderbækhus (1683 Sanderbech Hues) and Strandhuset (1688 Strandhuuset), de two last mentioned were fisherman's houses. Fakkegrav was earlier named Favrdal (1683 Fougerdal) and later Pakhuset. 




Listed prehistorics: At Rosenvold is Tehøj in which top are two cover stones, probably for a passage grave, and a somewhat disturbed dolmen chamber. Furthermore a large hill south of the church and two hills in Ullerup skov.
Demolished or destroyed: not less than 19 stone graves, of which two were long dolmens, one with 4 chambers; a dolmen chamber and two passage graves. In Pont. Atalse is mentioned at the vicarage a stone -surrounded hill with several chambers,which the parish priest let abolish.

From Rohden is known a small heap of shells from early Roman period.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Stouby (1399 Stoby, 1498 Stowby); Gammelby (1498 Gamelbi); Hyrup (1477 Hyrop, Hyrøp); Hostrup (1300s Horstorpmark, 1497 Hostrup); Belle (1459 Bælle); Fakkegrav (1664 Fastjgrau); Stoubyskov (1664 Stoubye Schouff); Hjerrild (1610 Herildtt); Hugholm (1683 Hugholm); Grund (1477 Grwnnæ); Rosenvold (1575 Rosenvold); Rohden (1474 Rode, 1475 Rodhe); Grundgård (1495 Grundegaardtt, Grunegaardt); Rønsholtskrog (1683 Rønsholt Sovhues); Gravengård (1462 Grawengart); Bobæk (1664 Boebech); Over Ullerup (1340 Vgelthorp, 1474 Wllerøp), Stoubylund (1511 Stobylundt); Årup Mølle (1458 Arrvp Mølle, Arwp Mølle) .     



Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

photo 2011: grethe bachmann

Barrit church/ Barrit kirke and Barritskov, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

Barrit church, ab. 12 km east of Vejle.

Barrrit kirke
The church in Barrit origins probably from 1152-1160. It was originally white. The church went through several re-buildings but the present look is from a main restoration in 1879, where the old church was re-walled with red bricks from a demolished tilework in Breth. The placement of the church building is interesting. The area is easy to defend; the brook and the steep banks protect the church towards the north and partly to the east and the west. The church dike was easy to equip with palisades and the church was with its thick walls ( in some places up til 2 m) a safe residence for women and children.
 
Barrit church has a choir with a triangular finish, a nave and a tower to the west and a chapel to the north. The church, which was built in travertine, is marked by a re-bricked with red bricks in the end of the 1800s - so it looks quite like the neo-Romanesque creations of that period. The walls are divided in supporting pillars and have round arched friezes in the top. The inside of the church has no details, but is whitewashed. The choir section ,which in its present look is caused by a choir extension in the 1300s, has a triangular rib vault and a short point arched barrel vault, while the nave has four bays of cross vaults upon strongly protruding wall pillars ( the common East Jutland type from the second half of the 1400s). The tower is late Gothic in its kernel but it seems also re-bricked with its square spire between four glare-decorated pointed gables. The medieval wallwork is only visible in the chapel, but this was also changed during time, like in 1725. The church was restored in 1787 and 1879. A porch on the southside was removed in the big re-build and the entrance was placed in the tower room. Upon the choir arch and in other places are some fresco-decorations  from the restoration-period.

Barrit church, photo Google Earth.

Interior:
A neo-Romanesque communion table. An altarpiece, an oak frame with a painting by J.Thrane 1731, repaired in 1918. A chalice with a Renaissance knot and foot and cup from 1746. Upon the cup the coat of arms and initials for Tønne Reedtz and L.F.Levetzau. Similar oblate box with stamp for Knud Rasmussen Brandt. Horsens. Heavy late Gothic candelabres upon lion feet. A Romanesque granite font with a smooth cylindric basin upon  truncated foot. South German dish ab. 1575. A neo-Romanesque pulpit and crucifix. Bell from 1874.

In the chapel eight coffins with the bodies of the family Reedtz: Tønne Reedtz (+ 1699) and wife; Valdemar Reedtz (+ 1724) and wife; Tønne Reedtz (+ 1743) and wife; and G. Balthasar Samitz (+ 1732) and wife, née Reedtz. Furthermore two burial banners.

Barritskov, photo 2011  gb

Barritskov belonged in 1261 to hr Niels, who founded the Fransiscan kloster in Horsens, in 1314 and 1323 to hr Mogens Jensen, and then to his son Mogens Mogensen, and in 1356-1483 four generations of the fanmily Manderup, all named Niels Manderup and all knights. The last left B. to his daughter Anne Manderup. m. to Christen Holck, who still lived in 1502. Their son Manderup Holck is mentioned as the owner until 1537 ( in an exchange in 1513 he got his sister Sophie's part of B.) and the farm came then to the son Hans Holck (+ 1565) and to his son Manderup Holck, with whom this line of the family died out in 1588, whereafter the sister Kirsten Holck by marriage brought B. to rigsråd Steen Brahe of Knudstrup (+ 1620 ). Their daughter Birgitte Brahe brought it to rigsråd Frederik Reedtz of Tygestrup (+ 1659); whose son Tønne Reedtz (+ 1669) inherited it. His widow Elisabeth Sehested (+ 1705) deeded in 1700 B. to her son Valdemar Reedtz (+ 1724), who was followed by his son Tønne Reedtz (+ 1743), whose widow Lucie Emerentze Levetzau kept the farm until her death in 1774. It then came to her son-in-law statsminister Frederik Christian Rosenkrantz of Rosenholm (+ 1802)

Later owners:  Niels Rosenkrantz(stamhuset Rosenkrantz), Henrik Jørgen Scheel; Frederik (Fritz)Chr. Rosenkrantz Scheel, Henrik Jørgen Scheel,  Knud Henrik Otto Brockenhuus-Schack; J.K.B. Brockenhuus- Schack. 1913-1949, Knud Henrik Otto Brockenhuus-Schack; 1949-1967: Jens Knud Bille Brockenhuus-Schack; 1969-1984 Mogens Harttung; 1984-1985: Mary North married Harttung; From 1985 : Thomas Alexander North Hartung.

Barritskov photo 2011: gb

The old main building, which was broken down in 1914, made a picturesque three-winged plan which individual houses were built at various times in the 1500s. The castle yard lay upon the bank of a small, now dried out lake, upon a narrow square medieval castle bank. (...) Steen Brahe and fru Kirsten built a large living house in two storeys in 1597-98 to replace the old timbered wing to the east. (...) A lower short western wing was built in the 1500s or 1600s as a replacement for the older timbered wing, but it disappeared shortly after 1793. (...) When Fr. Chr. Rosenkrants inherited Barritskov 1774, this ceased being the residence of its owner,  and in the following century the building came into decay. (...) Althoug it showed that there was nothing wrong with the buildings, Barritskov was broken down in January 1914. This was   one of the most painful losses, which the Danish architecture suffered in the 1900s.(...) Knud Brockenhuus-Schack built a new main building, a simple formed two storesy red brick villa, the building is by a short middle building in connection to the lower sidewing to the north,  where the timber from the old timbered building has been used in a decorative way. The inscription tablet of Steen Brahe is inserted in the west gable. Some old panelwork and doors from the old catle yard are used in the dining room and parts of the painted ceiling from 1598 in a front hall.

The big garden was planned by landscape gardener E. Glæsel, the now very overgrown ruins of the old main building are kept from decorative reasons. Tønne Reedtz had west of the old main building established a large French garden, which remains are still seen.

Strandmøllen in Barritskov was in 1356 by Peter Ulfsen Mule sold to Niels Manderup junior.

Staksrode skov photo 2011: gb

In Staksrode Vesterskov, about 300 m from the beach, lies the medieval castle bank Staksevold. It is an almost rectangular middle bank ( 26x34 m) at the foot, surrounded by a now waterfilled moat, which broadth varies from 10 til 19 m. Around the moat is a bank, which to the west reaches a height of ab. 2 m and a broadth at the top of 8 m, while to the east it is only 1 m high and 2,5 m broad. To the northeast the bank is interrupted for letting water in. In the outer foot of the western bank lies a plateau (ab. 50 x 10 m), protected by a dry moat in front.

The National Museum has examined and excavated the castle bank. The ground walls of the original stone house were restored etc..Some planks from a wooden bridge were found and foundation stones from a timnbered building,  coins from the end of the 13th century and from the 14th century, some weapons etc.    

In the parish (Barrit) was a village, named Have (1462 Hawe), which is menrioned several times ab. 1500. Also Stavsøre (1408 Staffør, 1457 Stafsøræ) seems to be the name of a village; the main farm here was deeded by Johan Kalf in 1408 to the Roskilde bishop, who in 1457 exchanged it to hr Johan Bjørnsen (Bjørn). The name is probably found again in Stagsevold (originally Stavsørevold), a name of a castle bank in Staksrode Vesterskov, which supposedly indicates the old situation of Rosenvold(manor) in Stouby parish.

From disappeared farms is mentioned Gammelgård (1443 Gammellgaard) in Barritslund, Tovskov (1502 Tofskoff) and Breth Torp (1408 Brendtorp ,1473 Bredsthorp),  which in 1664 was divided in two farms.

In the edge of the beach south of Barritskov was once a castle bank, which was traceable until a few years ago (since 1964). The sea has wiped away the last rests. The plan is described as a circular castle bank (12 m diameter) and a front castle, both surrounded by moats. A corner of a monk brick building was visible.

Listed prehistorics: 7 stone graves, of which 5 are at Barritskov, and three of these lie in a group upon the field east of the farm, one contains a polygonal dolmen chamber without cover stone, another contains a disturbed passage grave, in Barrit Tykke lies a long dolmen with a disturbed chamber. In Staksrode Skov lie two dolmens with removed chambers. Finally a small hill in Barrit Tykke.

Demolished or destroyed: 18 stone graves and 13 hills, one of the stone graves was known to be a passage grave. All memorials are or were in the southern half of the parish.

An urn grave site from early Roman period is known north of Barrithule, an Iron Age settlement from Korsbækhoved. 


Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Over Barrit (1333 Barwith, 1462 Baræth); Barrithule (1356 Barwythole); Barritskov by (1664 Baarit schouffs bye); Breth (1408 Brent, 1458 Breedh, Bredh); Staksrode (1238 Barrit Rud, 1408 Ruthe, 1475 Baruid (t));  Breth Surmose (1426 Smemosze, 1509 Suermoessze); Lavrsgård (1683 Lausgaardt); Gramtange (1546 Gramtange); Barritlund (1443 Baruedlund); Barritskov (1261 Barritzskov, 1323 Barwiithscogh); Rand (1664 Rande); Enemærkegård (1664 Eenemerchet); Korsbækhoved (1683 Korsbech Hofuit)


Source Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.


photo Barrit church: Google Earth 
photo Barritskov and Staksrode skov 2011: grethe bachmann