Brøns church, Tønder Kommune, Sønderjylland

Brøns church, 15 km south of Ribe.

sundial

The church in Brøns is literally one of Denmark's big churches, known as Denmark's largest village church. It is known for its fine Gothic inventory and the unique frescoes. The artist reproduced in his paintings his view of the decay of the Pope church in the 1530s.

The 47 m long whitewashed building stands upon a profiled granite plinth. The church was in the Middle Ages consecrated to Sankt Villads and had a close connection to Ribe cathedral. 

Apse and choir are the earliest, Romanesque from the late 1100s, built in tufa stone.  The nave (in tufa stone) was built in the beginning of the 1200s. The large windows are new, but four Romanesque windows can still be  traced at the northside. In  a window of the nave is a glass painting by J.T.Skovgaard. Choir and nave have a flat beamed ceiling. The apse is covered in a late Gothic rib vault. The beamed ceiling has acanthus decorations from the 1700s.

Upon the northside of the choir is a closed priest-door, but all other original doors have disappeared. The late Gothic tower was built in monk bricks in the late 1400s. It rises 31 m tall with a typical spire (Tørninglen-type).The  present entrance is via the tower room.Here are frescoe-rests in the vault and a Romanesque gravestone in granite with a relief cross.

The little special ridge turret upon the choir is from the Renaissance period. All roof work is original and is signed with runes and the name Didrik.
 




 












Inventory:
Late Renaissance altarpiece is probably carved by the Varde-master Jens Olufsen. The paintings in the fields are original. Upon the gallery 12 apostel figures from a late Gothic triptychon and an organ from 1699, later rebuilt.  In the choir a monstrance-cupboard from ab. 1300s. The Romanesque granite font is somewhat scrapped in 1858, upon the basin are four male heads and diverse ornaments, upon the foot four corner heads. Above the font a sounding board from 1651. Upon a newer beam in the triumph arch a large crucifix group from the late 15th century. A simple Renaissance pulpit. Closed pews from 1730. A late medieval church coffin and an armored moneyblock from the 17th century. Two late Baroque style epitaphs. A Romanesque gravestone in the tower room and ab. 20 gravestones from the 16-18th century. The church was restored in 1961 by architect R. Graae.



Frescoes

 The frescoes in Brøns have a unique place among Danish frescoes. The frescoes upon the northern wall of the church are from the 1530, in the time of the reformation. The inspiration comes from Germany  They are filled with clerical and secular figures dressed in colourful and draped robes from the 1500s. The frescoes in Brøns is a unique document from the time of the reformation . 

 







photo: grethe bachmann
source: Danmarks kirker, Niels Peter Stilling, 2000. - Nordens kirker - Danmarks kirker. dk - wikipedia. 

Jerlev church/ Jerlev kirke, Jerlev herred, Vejle amt.

Jerlev church (Google earth)

Jerlev church has a nave and choir from the Romanesque period, a late Gothic tower to the west and a newer porch to the south. The Romanesque church is in travertine upon a profiled granite plinth, while the walls are extensively repaired with large and small bricks. The choir gable is bricked with monk bricks. Upon the north side of the nave are rests of a facade decoration with lesens. The round arched north door and a couple of original windows are bricked-up, while the south door is extended. In the choir was in the late Middle Ages built an octagonal rib vault; the nave has a flat ceiling. The low tower in monk bricks from a relocated socket is to the south and west bricked with small bricks (in the gable is the year 1851). The tower room with a broad round arch towards the nave has large flatcurved niches and a vault like the choir's. The porch is in small bricks. In the choir arch was in 1932 found a frescoe decoration  from the end of the Middle Ages (restored in 1946).


The altarpiece is from 1944 with painting by Ole Søndergaard. The earlier altarpiece from 1678 with a painting from 1842 is deposited in Vejle Museum. The altar candelabres were given by Nis Ibsen in Jerlev (+ 1601) and wife (+ 1608). A Romanesque granite font with a smooth basin. A strange choir arch crucifix from ab. 1250  ( the Christ figure stands upon the globe); it is kept in the National Museum (source 1964). A pulpit in Renaissance from 1626 with paintings from the 1700s and decoration from 1932. A tablet informs that the pulpit was given and paid by Morten Bundesen in Jerlev and wife in return for his parents' and his and his wife's burial place in the church. The pews were re-newed in 1932. A small iron-bound money block. A bell from 1400s with Latin minuskel inscription ("this bell is cast in Jerlev"); it was re-cast in 1914.

landscape, Mejsling, (Google earth)

Jerlevgård was in 1837 bought by Jonas Casimir Ingwersen of Viufgård. He sold it the next year and in ab. 1840 it belonged to Risom, in 1842 to Andr. Kock, who in 1860 sold it to H.Lütjens from Altona, who in 1867 sold it to Jesper P. Berg. Other owners: Søren Eskildsen; H.K. Tingleff.; Boye, S.M.Salling, Raun and Albertsen, A.P.Eriksen of Agersbøl, V. Holste, J. Smith, T. Thellefsen, who sold it in 1948 to Johannes Larsen.

Hr Svend Bonde and hr Jens Basse deeded 1289 their estate in Jerlev Skov to the bishop in Ribe.

At Tvedgård near the parish border to Nr. Vilstrup in Skibet parish was a village Holbøl (1400 Hoolbyl).

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 18 hills, 4 of these lay in a row south of Jerlev, 7 were more spread west of the village and 4 north of the village.

In a moor at Mejsling were found 130 amber pearls.


Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s: Jerlev (1248 Jarløf); Mejsling (1454 Meslingh); Tvedgård (1610 Tueed).

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

Eltang church/ Eltang kirke, Brusk herred, Vejle amt.

Eltang church, wikipedia

Eltang church lies upon a sloping hill surrounded by granite boulder dikes with a bricked driving port and a gate. The church has choir, nave, porch to the south and a tower at the western gable. The choir and nave are Rmanesque, built in raw boulders with carved corner ashlars and a profiled plinth. Upon the north side are kept two Romanesque windows. The north door is bricked up, it is seen as a glare. The south door is still in use. The choir gable, where earlier were three bricked up windows, was rewalled in 1943. The tower is a late medieval addition in monk bricks with a pitched roof, a vaulted bottom room and a pointed arch towards the nave. The church was restored several times. Three sides of the tower are re-bricked,  maybe in 1788. The nave and porch have also in recent times been equipped with wooden cornices . and bricked dentils. The choir arch is extended inside and is covered in a plaster ceiling, while the nave has a grey painted beamed ceiling.

Eltang church, Google earth.

The altarpiece in Renaissance from ab. 1600 has foot and top piece, both with outsawed sidewings, in the main  field is a newer painting by G. Schleissner 1877, given by N. Th. Flensborg. The altarpiece was decorated in 1925 with silver and gold upon a redbrown base. Upon the communion table stand two sets of  altar candelabres 1) late Baroque with winding shafts (without inscription)  and 2) given 1934 in memory of N. Th.Flensborg and wife. A Romanesque font in granite with arcade-motifs upon the belly. A pulpit from the late 1500s in Renaissance with Tuscany ornamental columns framing round arched fields, the decotation is from 1925 like the altarpiece. A wellkept large choir arch crucifix  from late Middle Ages on the south wall. A plank is kept from a gallery, which was removed in 1900; it says that it was put up in 1686 "in the times of Hr. Peder Clausen Emmeløf". The present pews are new from the late 1800s. At the south door an old, high iron bound money block in oak. Series pastorum upon the western wall. In the porch two gravestones  1 ) Christen Jørgensen Bul (+ 1652),  2) parish priest Jørgen Hansen Seidelin (+ 1780). The church bell was cast in 1588 by Mathias Benninck.

Ellinggård, owner in 1960s N.C. Sandager.The main building might origin from 1787.

Nørre Stenderupgård belonged in 1773 (then named Stenderup avslgård) to justitsråd Søren H. Seidelin  /+ 1798), later to mayor in Horsens Andreas Flensburg (+ 1790),  from 1782 to his son Th. Flensburg (+ 1830) who was priest in the parish, from 1816 to his son Andreas N. Flensburg (+ 1843), whose widow Christina Birg. Monrad in 1844 married merchant in Århus, borgerkaptajn C. Bentzen (+ 1857), whereafter her brother-in-law Niels Thygesen Flensburg (+ 1881) bought the farm in an auction, which came to his son Christian August Flensborg,  in 1893 to his brother Andreas Vilhelm Flensburg, and in 1899 his son Niels Thygesen Flensburg. In 1933 it was sold to J.N.Nielsen (+ 1955), whose widow fru Martine Nederby Nielsen in 1962 transferred it to their son J.Nederby Nielsen.

Hr. Jens Lavesen deeded in 1308 for 5 1/2 mark silver land in Eltang field to the brothers Peder and Gøde, who at the same timed was deeded 2 farms in Stenderup ny Niels Tap.

In 1947 was in the outdried Eltang vig (cove) digged out the rests of an early medieval ship, which is now in the city Kolding.

The farms Østergård (1436 Østhergardt) and Vestergård (1436 Vesthergaardt) were owned by Inger Hermansdatter (Pennov), who in 1436 deeded them to Ribe Chapter. In the parish is also mentioned in 1683 the farm Vesterskov.

view to Gudsø vig, Google earth.

Upon a field in Lilballe were in 1875 found 65 coins, mainly Danish, German and Netherlandish., the latest coin was from Frederik III 1653.

In a clearance in an alder moor in Eltang was in 1860 found a bottle under a big stone with 611 coins from 1694-1734.

During digging in a peat bog in Eltang were in 1870 found 85 coins Hanseatic witten (21) and

silver finding Eltanggård, Kolding lexicon.

hulpenninge (44) English sterlings (20) and 5 little gilt silver jewelry, all put down ab. 1360-70.

At Eltanggård was in 1941 discovered a considerable silver finding from the time of the Swedish wars.

Listed prehistorics: a long dolmen without chamber in Sletteskov, the chamber stone was after Frederik VI's order used for Gudsø bridge. Furthermore two hills at Eltanggård.

Demolished or destroyed:one dolmen and 21 hills, mainly in the southeastern and eastern section of the parish.      

In Gudsø vig(cove) were in the mud several prehistorics from Ertebøllekulturen, among these an entire clay lamp.

A fragment of a runestone, which was found near Nr. Stenderup, is now at the National Museum, the short inscription, which seems medieval, cannot be interpreted.









Names from the Middle Ages : Eltang (1231 Ælmtungæ, 1325 Ælmætungh); Nr. Stenderup (1308 Stendorpmark, 1484 Stenderup); Lilballe (1459 Lilbaly).



Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

photo from Google earth and wikipedia.

Oddense church/ Oddense kirke, Hindborg herred, Viborg amt.

Oddense church, ab. 10 km northwest of Skive.

Oddense parish, Hindborg herred, Viborg amt.

Contrary to traditions of the local district the church in Oddense is rather large. It lies upon a flat hill in the parish town with a Romanesque choir and nave and a late Gothic western tower and a porch to the north. Choir and nave are built in granite ashlars upon a profiled plinth. From original details is the choir arch kept with profiled kragbånd, the bricked-up east window of the choir and two bricked-up windows to the north, - and the broad south portal of the nave with a flat monolite lintel, which is carried by two free columns with rough capitals. An ashlar with a lion figure in deep relief is inserted in the northern part of the triumph arch. From the northern portal, or maybe from a priest door upon the northside of the choir - which lintel still is on its place in the strongly re-built wall work - origin two high ashlars with elegant column decorations, which bear reminders about the wooden architecture, now bricked-in at the south side of the tower. At the north side of the choir were during a restoration in 1956 discovered foundations from a medieval sacristy. In the late Middle Ages were in the nave built three bays star vaults upon projecting pillars. The tower has smooth gables north-south ; it is built in monk bricks above re-used ashlars from the western gable of the nave. There is access to the other storeys via a free staircase to the north. The tower room, which is connected to the nave by a low, point arched arcade, has an original cross vault, re-walled in 1871. The large porch in monk bricks has a gable with broad point arched glares. In Pont. Atlas 1768 is mentioned two porchs.  The whole church is lead roofed. The porch and the upper section of the tower are white-washed.

Upon the star vault of the nave is a rich decoration of interesting frescoes from the reformation period with inscriptions in Danish and Latin, painted by the same master as the frescoes in Torum church (Salling Nørre herred). There are biblical scenes and folklore legends with devils etc. In the western bay are naive Evangelist pictures,which were painted in 1878, when the old paintings became the subject to a restoration by a local painter, which could be characterized as a ruthless overpainting. Paintings by this restorator are also found below in the eastern vault. 

 

A pretty communion table panel from ab. 1650 with original paintings in the arcade fields. Altarpiece from 1602, painting from ab. 1800 in the big field. Ore candelabres  from 1550-1600. A large Romanesque granite font with roundstick around the smooth basin. Pulpit in rural Renaissance with Evangelist-pictures from ab. 1700 in the big fields. Pretty benches from the late 1800s with new colours. Iron bound fattigblok ( box for money-collection for the poor). Series pastorum in the tower room. Bell 1802, cast by Reimer in Randers, hangs in an old bell frame. In the brick-up in the south door is a large cross-decorated gravestone in Romanesque type. Upon the church yard a large worn out gravestone from the 1700s for a member of the family Sadolin. Neo Gothic portal with driving-gate at the western dike.

Saustrup was in 1455 by Peder Nielsen pawned to bishop Knud in Viborg. In 1519 it was inhabited by a peasant. I 1661 it was divided in two farms, which by the Crown were laid out to hr. Ove Giedde's heirs. His great-grandchild Dorte Giedde (+ 1743) was married to captain Niels Høeg (Banner) (+ 1725), who lived here in 1716, while she as widow lived her in 1728. In 1780 it was divided in Over Saustrup and Neder Saustrup, which by Johs. Hansen were sold to Axel Rosenkrantz Lasson of Astrup, who sold them before 1791. 

Bligård was in 1514 by Henrik Steen sold to bishop Erik Kaas.

Torsmark (earlier Torshøj) belonged from ab. 1850 the family Ladefoged; in 1954 it was taken over by A. Wibholm.

Hindborg herred's tingsted (judicial place for the thing) was possibly before 1688 south of Oddense church (close to the church lies Tinghøj).

Listed prehistorics: one longhill and 19 hills, of which several are rather large: one north of Næstild, two south of Kåstrup, one east of Oddense, two west of Vestergårde, the large Ravnshøj upon  Torsmark, Elsehøj north of Saustrup and Tinghøj south of Oddense.

Demolished or destroyed: 106 hills and longhills; they were placed close in Frammerslev and around Oddense and Saustrup.


Names in the Middle Ages: Oddense (1410 Otenssogen, 1479 Otthensæ); Frammerslev (1464 Frammeszløff, 1524 Frammersløff); Næstild (1410 Nestill, ab. 1525 Nestildt); Kåstrup (1524 Kastrop); Lille Ramsing (1589 Lille Ramsing); Vestergårde (1524 Vestergarde, -gardt); Saustrup (1519 Saustrup); Saustrupgård (1455 Saustrups gard); Bligård (1514 Bligard).

GB

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt 1962. 

photo: borrowed from Google, gb

 
    

Glud church/ Glud kirke, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

The church in Glud, which is mainly whitewashed, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic porch to the south. The Romanesque building is built in raw granite with carved corner ashlars. From original details is the north door, which was brought to light in 1948, with inside kragsten below a horisontal lintel,  and outside three, inside two round-arched windows in the north wall of the nave. The outer south door is in use. The round choir arch is overplastered, and the nave has a flat, plastered ceiling, while the choir in the late Gothic period got two bays of cross-vaults. From the late Gothic period is the porch with a flat-curved door in a point-arched frame. Its gable is re-walled like the western gable of the nave, and the gable of the nave is not whitewashed  but has monk bricks and ashlars. Upon the northside of the choir and the nave are built buttresses. In the top of the choir gable and with small bricks is a small point-arched glare, which possibly reflects a Gothic gable top.

The front of the communion table has got a painted coat of arms and mirrored monogram, probably for Karen Marie Hofman (+ 1760). The altar piece is a pompous carving from 1654 by Peder Jensen Kolding, flanked by winding pillars and figures. In the fields are biblical  figures. It was decorated in 1665 by Hans Schütte and has upon the backside a parish clerk-list until 1881. The chalice and the desk were after the vicarage-fire 1740 repaired at the expense of Marie Margrethe Dreyer, the wife of Dean Poul Glud. Baluster-shaped Baroque candelabres ab. 1625-50. A good late Gothic choir arch crucifix. An ore-cast font-basin, cast by J Lehmeyer in Glückstadt 1702, upon a granite foot, shaped as a Gothic Gotland font-foot. A south German dish ab. 1575, later engraved initials INR  CVA. The pulpit is early Baroque and has biblical reliefs. It is according to a carved date from 1637 like the contemporary sounding board. A new Threemaster church ship "Christianshavn". A heavy octagonal iron-bound money block, probably from the 1600s. A klingpung in painted tin from the late 1700s (klingpung is a purse with a long shaft to collect money during church service). A colossal priest list in unpainted oak from ab. 1960 with rambling reliefs commemorating Johs Ferdinand Fenger. The bell, which hangs in a bell tower southeast of the choir, was cast 1578 by Matias Benninck in Lübeck.  Epitaphs from the 1700s and 1800s. In the porch a gravestone for the family Glud's ancestor, Dean Søren Andersen Jelling. In the dike towards east is a large portal with a flat-curved gate and a round-arched driving gate, all with tiled roofs.

Jensgård belonged to Oluf Mouridsen Krognos who willed it to Pernille Oxe, his widow Anne Hardenberg deeded the farm to Pernille in 1573. Pernille Oxe was the widow after Otte Rud of Møgelkær, and after her death in 1576 came J. to the son Johan Rud of Møgelkær, who died childless in 1609. The farm was inherited by his sister's son Knud Gyldenstierne, whose widow Sophie Lindenow brought it with Møgelkær to Henrik Rantzau (+ 1674 ;, when she died childless 1666 J. came to several heirs of hers - some of it came to her sister's son Christen Skeel of Bangsbo, and when he died unmarried in 1670, the farm was further divided. A small part came in 1671 to Ane Ramel, who after her husband kansler Peder Reedz's death in 1676 exchanged J. to Jacob Arenfelt, whose brother Jørgen Arenfelt of Rugård in 1690 deeded J. with estate to rådmand in Horsens, Chr. Nielsen Thonbo (+ 1707) whose sons Niels and Peder Thonbo in 1708 deeded 2/3 of J. and some estate to their brother Matthias Fogh (+ 1716). His widow Karen Marie Hofman (+ 1760) deeded in 1743 the farm with forest, taxes and estate to her son kancelllisekretær Thøger Hofman Fogh, after whose death in 1748 J. with additions came on auction and was sold to Marie Margrethe Dreyer (+ 1754), widow after dean P. Glud. Her son kancelliråd Jakob Glud (+ 1793) had in 1772 allowance on to be the owner of J. with freedom from nobility. His widow Marie Cathrine Juul (+ 1802) deeded in 1795 the farm to her son cand. theol. kammerråd Poul Glud (+ 1842), who in 1830 deeded J. with Glud, Rårup and Hjarnø church and full estate to the son exam. jur. kammerråd J.A.Glud (+ 1884). He sold it in 1867 with Glud church to his son cand. jur. justitsråd P.G.Glud; after his death in 1913 it came to his brother's son Poul Chr. Glud (+ 1944) and then to Poul Axel Glud (+ 1947) and to his brother M.C. Glud. (who was the owner in 1964). 

The main building and the farm building is one of the best preserved and grand half-timbered plan in Denmark from the middle of the 1700s. Main building built in 1753. Above the main door a sandstone-plate with inscription from Poul Glud and wife's take over of the farm in 1795. The farm buildings are contemporary with the main building. In the forest a memorial for the family Glud's 200 year old ownership of Jensgård.

Jon Kvas deeded in 1324 his estate in Glud to the parish clerk Niels Rampe; Lave Jensen of Holm deeded 1349 his estate in the same place to bishop Svend in Århus. 

Glud Museum, foto Google earth.

Glud Museum was established in 1911 by the folkemindesamler ( folklore-collector) Søren Knudsen, who managed it until his death in 1955. Various buildings are rebuilt here, like a farm from 1662, a house from Hjarnø, smitties from Jensgård and As, a fisher's house from Strandhuse, a large agriculture hall and a magasine. In the museum are considerable collections of both prehistorics and things from the almue, a very special and magnificent, wellkept collection of agricultural implements from Bjerre herred (district).

Upon a field in Sønderby, called Kirkeager (church field) were found monk bricks and a Roman stone lamp.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish but there was a long dolmen, a hill with a stone chamber, another hill and two stone circles. Pontoppidan's Atlas claims that there earlier in the parish were many gravehills and "heathen altars" ( meaning dolmens).

At Snaptun were in low water found several things from the Ertebøllekulturen. At Marielund were found several graves from early Roman Iron Age.
A special stone for a bellows with a carved face mask from Viking period was found at Snaptun.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Glud (1324 Gluut); Over Glud (1493 Offuerglud); Øster Bisholt (1462 Bysholt, 1688 Østerbidsholt); Nørby (1403 Nørrebye); Østrup (1403 Ostorp; 1405 Østrup); Stenvadgårde (1546 Stenvad); Allesgårde (1664 Alliesgaaerd); Jensgård (ab. 1300 Ynes, Ines, 1462 Ænsgard).

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964

photo Glud: grethe bachmann
photo Glud Museum: Google earth.   

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
 

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

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


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

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

Frescoes at the old windows


Door from 1500s and late Gothic crucifix

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


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


The golden altar
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto



The golden altar, detail

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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