Sindal Old Church, Vendsyssel, North Jutland

Sindal Old Church lies upon a hill in the eastern outskirt of Slotved skov. The earliest part of the church is from the 1100s. In the late Gothic period 3-400 years later the nave was extended to the west which got a stepped gable. The porch was built at approximately the same time. The choir is built in granite ashlars, while the nave mainly is in monk bricks. At the eastern gable are two heavy supporting pillars. The nave and choir have beamed ceilings. The beams in the choir are some of the earliest things in the church and therefore not overpainted.


A reliquary was found in the medieval bricked altar table. It is now at Hjørring Museum. The
granite baptismal font is probably as old as the church itself, the baptismal dish is made in Nürnberg in the 1500s. The crucifix at the northern wall and the candelabres upon the altar table are from before the reformation. The altar chalice was given by the last selvejerbonde (yeoman) of the parish, judge Lars Fus in Taagholt in 1577. The altarpiece is a simpe Renaissance work, the painting is by the Skagens-painter Michael Ancher, who has copied the Spanish court-painter Velasquez' painting "The Crucifixion".


The pulpit from ab. year 1600 has the coat of arms of Anne Krabbe and her two husbands Aksel Viffert and Jerck Kaas. The same coat of arms are seen upon some lord-of- the-manor stools in the back of the church. These stools are the rests of the former pews which was set up by the owner of Baggesvogn, Anne Krabbe. Upon another stool is seen the coat of arms of Sophie Sandberg and Enevold Kruse and the year 1636. Enevold Kruse was Lieutenant colonel and field commander under Christian IV, he was killed in the battle at Lutter am Barenberg in 1626, nine years later his widow bought Baggesvogn, to which Sindal church belonged.

In 1964 the church went through a thorough restoration, new pews were bought and a new organ (Frobenius), and some of the old pews from Anne Krabbe's time were moved to the west end of the church.


Upon the church yard is a bell frame with two bells ,the oldest is made by the caster Peder Lavridsen in 1566, the other with the names Claus Unger and Barbara Galt is from 1696. The church yard is surrounded by an ancient granite boulder dike to the north and south, which is unchanged, but to the east and west the dike has been moved out to make place for a larger church yard.

The vicarage lies south of the church yard , a very pretty timbered building with a thatched roof. The present vicarage was built in 1928 upon the plinth of an earlier vicarage. A section of the old vicarage was rebuilt in the museum-garden in Hjørring as a part of the museum.

source: "Sindal Gl. Kirke - en beskrivelse", udgivet af Sindal Menighedsråd, 2005

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Engum church / Engum kirke, Hatting Herred, Vejle Kommune.

Engum kirke (foto Nordiske Kirker)

Engum kirke lies 8 km northeast of Vejle


Engum church was built in travertine ab 1150 and proably before. The white washed walls rise directly from the ground.

The church lies in the southern part of the small village with open fields to the south and west and with the vicarage as the nearest neighbour to the east. The church is surrounded by broad, double, granite boulder dikes.
At the main entrance by the main village road is a driving gate + small gate with wrought iron wing-doors, a lesser alike entrance to the west. In 1836 the grass covered church yard was being grazed by geese.

Only few Romanesque details are kept, on the northside are dimly seen the bricked- up round-arched windows and inside is kept the Romanesque choir arch with profiled corbels.

Engum church foto Google earth.

The Gothic vault was built ab. 1400 while the broad west tower and the porch were added in late Gothic period ab. 1500.

The choir's triumph wall and choir arch were decorated with Romanesque frescoes from ab. 1200, especially remarkable are the repainted frescoes on the choir arch.

The church was a manor church for the manor Tirsbæk on the northside of Vejle fjord, and it is strongly marked by the aristocratic church owners. A fine portrait stone in early Renaissance is placed over rigsråd Ove Vincentsen Lunge (+ 1540). He was one of the most important landlords in Denmark and started shortly before his death the building of the present Tirsbæk manor.


 Oldest inventory:
The oldest inventory is the Romanesque font in reddish granite, of a simple type.
The communion table is late medieval in monk bricks, but is covered on three sides with a panel. In the table is a reliquary (found in 1979, contents only a piece of green silk) The reliquary was in the shape of a bærealter (an altar to be carried)


The inventory was new-furnished in 1759-60 into Rococo-style: 

The Rococo inventory is from ab. 1760, the givers were Maren Loss of Tirsbæk  and her second husband, the earlier manager of the estate Jørgen Hvass. He was enobled in 1761 with the pretty name Lindenpalm, which was celebrated by gifts to the parish.

Altarpiece, foto Nordens kirker

The altarpiece is from 1759, made by the Horsens-joiner Jens Jensen the Young. In the big field is a pretty carved crucifix. Jens Jensen is also the master of the other Rococo-piece in the church, the pulpit with a cherub. The pulpit is dated 1765, but behind the flowering Rococo is a simple Renaissance stool. The pulpit is decorated with seven women, symbolizing the cardinal virtues, but they seem  to be not the Christian virtues, considering the seven relaxed challenging graces on the sides of the pulpit.

After a thorough restoration the inventory now stands with the original colours and paintings from 1759-60 (red, blue and much gilding)

Cherub, foto Nordens kirker

Altar rails also from 1759-60 and two cherubs with flaming swords guarding by the choir arch.

Well-preserved pews with 35 interesting  emblem-paintings.

Altar silver from Jørgen N. Brosbøll, Vejle
Wafer box 1778 Matthias Winge, Vejle.

Church ship model: five-masted barque, the school-ship "København",  which disappeared in the South Atlantic 1928-29. 


Church bell: 1765 cast by Michael Carl Treschel, Copenhagen
Church bell 1836 cast by C. Frederik Weiss, Horsens.

Several grave memories ( owners of Tirsbæk )

Source: Danmarks Kirker, Niels Peter stilling, 2000,  Danmarks kirker, National Museet.

Photo: Thanks to Nordens kirker. and Google earth.

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

Vidstrup church,  ab. 5 km northwest of Hjørring.

The church in Vidstrup has a Romanesque choir and nave and a late Gothic porch to the north. The Romanesque building, the choir and nave, is built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, in some places a hollow plinth. The straight-edged north door is in use, while the south door, which does not break the plinth, is traceable. The church inside, upon the east wall of the choir, has a large bricked-up round arched window, while all other windows are remade in present time, like the gable point of the west wall which is re-bricked with little bricks. Inside is the round choir arch kept with profiled kragsten, but without any visible plinth. The nave and choir have beamed ceilings,  and the flat round arched windows are probably from the 1800s. The porch is a pretty late Gothic building from the reformation period. Its flat curved door is framed by a high glare with twin round arches in the stepped gable.

Vidstrup church, wikipedia.

A part of the granite plate from a Romanesque communion table with a reliquary is inserted inside the west wall of the porch. The altarpiece is basically a Lutheranian triptychon, but now without original details. In the last second half of the 1700s was added a top piece in rural Rococo, and in 1913 was inserted in the middle field a copy of a biblical painting by C. Bloch. The earlier altar painting from the 1700s (the Crucifixion)  hangs in the church.  A Romanesque granite font, semicircular shaped upon a cubic capital. A smooth dish, probably from the 1700s. The pulpit from 1696 is a rich carving in late Renaissance. An early Romanesque bell, before in a ball frame at the west gable, now in a new freestanding frame north of the church . In the east wall of the porch is inserted a granite stone with a rope-winding and engraved decoration, probably a piece of a Romanesque gravestone.


Dalsgård was in the 1400s - when it was also called Vidstrupgård - a noble farm, belonging to rigsråd hr. Axel Lagesen (Brock)'s  (+ 1498) parents, but by them pawned to bailiff at Kokkedal, Thord Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund), who in 1459-86 wrote himself of D; in 1499 is mentioned a Niels Nol in D., probably a tenant-peasant, since the above mentioned Axel Lagesen (Brock) in 1485 and 1490 had released D. from Knud Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund) (+ 1484) 's widow, Sofie Mortensdatter (Seefeld) (+ earliest 1502) and their son Thomas Thordsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund)(+ earliest 1494), who furthermore in 1485 - 88 wrote himself of D., and the priest in Aggersborg Peder Thomsen (Vognsen of Hørbylund)( + earliest 1502). Later D. was a peasant farm under Kærsgård, but it was in 1667 laid out from Enevold Kruse to Ebbe Gyldenstierne. In 1688 D was a tenant farm.

In Tofte is in 1427 mentioned a Maren Pedersdatter, probably a widow after Nisse Thomsen (Sehested)( + earliest 1418). His son's son væbner Thomas Jensen (Sehested) wrote himself in T. in 1481-1501, but also of Vellingshøj. A nobleman Høvd Henriksen who had a socalled marekors (pentagram)  in his coat of arms, is mentioned in 1467-70.  T. was in 1662 a peasant farm under Asdal, where it still was in 1794, but it was divided into 4 farms at that time.
 
Listed prehistorics: At Tofte an 85 long longdolmen which to the east ends in a round hill; 5 big holes are probably from removed chambers. At Tofte are also two hills, of which one is rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 6 hills.

In a moor was found a collection of 12 flint planks.

Names from the Middle Ages:  Vidstrup (1416 Wibestrop, 1419 Wigelstorp, 1459 Viistrop); Tofte (1467 Thoftæ, Toffthe); Dalsgårde (1452 Dall, 1459 Dalsgard, 1490 Wistrup Dall).


See:
photo-collection of Vidstrup church 
 


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


    

Balling church/ Balling kirke, Rødding herred, Viborg amt.

Balling church, ab. 10 km northwest of Skive.

Balling parish, Rødding herred, Viborg amt.



Balling church has a Romanesque choir and nave, a late Gothic bottom section of a tower to the west and two additions to the south from the middle of the 1500s. A porch and a chapel, which flank walls meet respectively the south walls of the nave and the choir. Above the western section was in 1945 built the upper section of a tower. The Romanesque building, choir and nave, were built in granite ashlars, the choir upon an Attic and the nave upon a bevelled plinth. From the original doors is the south door in use, round arched with a sunken tympanum-field, while the north door is only traced vaguely outside. In the nave are two bricked-up round arched windows, one to the south and one to the north, the last mentioned with kilestik (wedge sockets ) carved in the lintel. Inside the church the choir arch is white washed and the choir and nave have newer beamed ceilings. In the late Gothic period was added a tower to the west in ashlars and raw boulder which upper section was removed in the 1700s. Its bottom room has a pointed arch towards the nave. In the middle of the 1500s a southern chapel was built in granite ashlars with a smooth roof gable. The chapel functioned for a time as burial chapel. Its inside opens towards the church in a round arch, which cuts through the choir arch. The chapel has an octagonal cross vault. The porch is from the same time with a flat curved door and small windows to the east and west. Its roof gable was later replaced by a hip roof. The present large flat curved windows of the nave are probably from the 1800s. In 1945 a new tower was built upon the old tower section in small bricks with gables north-south.

A new communion table in yellow bricks. In its backside is inserted an ashlars with a helgengrav ( a reliquary). The front of the table is in Renaissance from ab. 1580 with Evangelist paintings from the 1700s. The altarpiece is a joinery in High Renaisaance ab. 1600 with original paintings. A newer altar painting hangs in the church ( 1962). From a late Gothic altarpiece from ab. 1510-20 has been kept a figure of Sct Peder. Balustershaped brass candelabres from ab. 1700. Behind the altar stands the torso of a choir arch crucifix ab. 1450-75. A Romanesque granite font in three stones, a smooth basin with round sticks, a pillow shaped upper section and a large circular profiled foot. A South German dish. The pulpit is a joinery from the late 1800s. Bell 1840- 42 P.P. Meilstrup.

Næsbækgård was in 1393 by Herman Iversen Pennow deeded to Gunde Nielsen. In 1407 Jens (or Niels) Bratze (Saltensee of Linde) pawned N. to Per Hase, who in 1423 sold N. with mill to the bishop in Viborg, who however in 1455 bought Næsbæk mølle (mill) with a desolate mill place from Bolde Olufsdatter. Still in 1570 and 1570 Næsnæk mølle was under the earlier bishop's manor Spøttrup
 
Ove Tygesen of Balling is mentioned in 1425.

Southwest of Sønder Balling was a settlement Robelstrup (ab. 1525 Robelstrvp), which disappeared in the beginning of the 1600s. In the parish were the farms Høstgård (ab. 1525 Hostgardt), Keldtoft (1610 Kielldtofft) and Vesterballegård (1664 Westerballegård) and Balling Mellemmølle (1610 Mell Balling Mølle).

 In the northwestern corner of the parish at the foot of the hills down towards Rødding river valley lies the castle bank Holmgård slot , a low square castle yard (ab.55 x 55m), stretching out in the meadow, which earlier was under water, and which by a moat is divided from the higher placed land to the east. Towards the other side the bank was surrounded by a moat, which was divided from the surrounding lake by a dam, which  is demolished. Upon the castle yard were found rests of buildings.

Listed prehistorics: one longhill and 6 hills, like Mølvadshøj in a plantation close to the parish border to the northwest.
Demolished or destroyed:  49 hills.    

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Balling kirke (1425 Balling, 1487 Baling); Sønder Balling (1532 Sønder Baling); Gust (1465 Gust); Næsbæk (1393 Neesbegard, Nesbogard, 1423 Nesbeck gard); Vrå (1440 Vraa); Vesterby (1610 Westerbye); Nittrup (1440 Nittrup, 1488 Nyptrop); Bilgrav (1487 Billgraff); Damgård (1610 Dambgaardt); Hedegård (1487 Hedegard); Balling Overmølle (1541 Offuermøll); Nedermølle (1610 Neder Balling Mølle).

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962. 

photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb.

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

The whitewashed, tiled church in Brande has a cernel of a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west. The church is strongly marked by a rebuild in 1939, where it was extended with a side-nave and a sacristy to the north. The Romanesque building, the choir and nave, are built in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth. From original details are three Romanesque windows, one to the east, and a bricked-up window the north and one to the south. The round choir-arch has kragsten, but is very scrapped.  In the rebuild was for a short period built a cross-vault in the choir, and the barrel-vault of the nave was replaced by a beamed ceiling. Most of the north wall was removed, and a side-nave was built, which outside has three pointed gables, added with a sacristy at the northside with a fourth pointed gable. In the southdoor was inserted a new pillar-portal with a "Romanesque" tympanum, and the porch from the reformation period was rebuilt. The late Gothic tower, which was only marked little by the rebuild in 1939, has a cross-vaulted bottom room, which opens to the nave in a pointed tower-arch. Its wallwork was mainly rebuilt in 1724 and probably also in 1737.

Brande church, photo Google Earth.

The brick communion table has a reliquary. It is covered by a panelwork from 1624 with biblical paintings. The altarpiece is a carved work in slightly blurred Renaissance with large evangelist figures. It is probably contemporary to the panel of the communion table;  it has original paintings. Brass candelabres in Baroque, balustershaped with big ball joints. A seven-branched candle-stick, given in 1946 by R. and J. Søndergaard. A wrougth iron kneeler from 1939. The Romanesque granite font, which is brutally dismantled, has a smooth basin with a profiled edge and a cubic foot. An engraved Netherland dish ab. 1625 with a lion in a band with inscription: D. Henricus Coster. A pulpit in Renaissance from the beginning of the 16th century with the coat of arms of Kaas. Upon the corner evangelist figures and in the fields biblical reliefs. Upon a stool gable inscriptions: Hans Lange, Karen Clausdatter, 1604 ( owners of Brandholm). A small crucifix group from the 1600s. An apostle group in alabaster in the sacristy is probably an Italian work from the Baroque period. In the new side-nave is a door wing from ab. 1550 with a post hinge. Two bells, both cast by "De Smithske Støberier", Aalborg, one from 1948 in the memory of 5/5 1945. In the tower room some coffin plates. In the porch two worn-out 1700s gravestones.

Filialkirken i Skærlund (a branch church) built 1895-96 in red bricks. Altar decoration a simple wooden cross. A South German baptismal dish from ab. 1550-75 with the coat of arms of Habsburg.

Filialkirken i Uhre,  (a branch church),  built 1917-20 in red bricks. Inventory in typical skønvirke-stil ( art Noveau).  

Brandholm was owned by Peder Terkelsen Væbner, who got it with his wife Else Juul. He died in 1587 the last male of his family, and B. was inherited by his paternal cousin's son Claus Strangesen of Nørholm (+ 1596), who was also the last male of his family. His son-in-law Hans Lange of Lunderup sold B. to Bendix Rantzau (+ ab. 1616), who was written of the farm in 1608-09. In 1608 his father-in-law Albert Skeel killed the manager of the farm,  and he was executed in 1609, his daughter Kirsten Skeel later married Peder Bille of Lindved, she owned in 1610 part of B. The farm went to Jørgen Below of Hastrup (+ childless 1628), whose sister Sophie Below (+ 1641) in 1631 sold it to her son-in-law Otte Gøye, who at once exchanged it to his brother Eskil Gøye for his part in Tureby. In 1638 the farm still belonged to Eskil Gøye, but in 1641 to Herluf Mormand, who in 1647 had to pawn it to his children Henrik, Sibylle and Birgitte Gøye, the last mentioned's husband Henning Quitzow and the two first mentioned got in 1661 deed on it from Claus Sparre of St. Tanggård. B. had been demolished during the war. (Swedish wars) Henrik Gøye died unmarried in 1668, Henning Quitzow was judged from the farm because of tax debt, but he got it back in 1670 from the king, and his widow laid it in 1682 out to her sister Sibylle Gøye and her husband Conrad v Hövelen, who also had it judged from him. They got it back in 1687 and gave it at once to their son-in-law Niels Parsberg (+ 1710), whose son Preben Parsberg still owned it in 1717.
Later owners: Christen Nielsen of Assersbøl, Jens Nielsen Skjærlund, Claus Cordtsen, Johan Arensberg in Hvejsel, Jens Risom in Brande, Christen Handrup, Niels Pedersen Hvidberg, Laurids Jensen Brande, Niels Jensen Kiersgaard, Otte Arrevad, Th. Chr. Christensen (the last mentioned in 1860.)

Hr. Lars Jonsen (Panter) gave in 1329 the farm Lund for a præbende to Ribe domkirke. (Ribe cathedral)
(præbende = income).

Peder Esgersen (Bryning) deeded in 1420 the farm Dørslund to the bishopric in Ribe. 

Brande town with vicarage almost burnt down in 1780.

 old lignite deposits

at the old power station

Near Brande are large lignite deposits.

Listed prehistorics: 101 hills and 4 longhills; several hills are large, at Brandlund lies the 5 m high Store Stendalshøj and 3 other large hills. Upon the top of Sandfeld Bjerge (a hillside) is a large hill in Hundehøj plantation called Hundehøj, at Dørslund the hill Sortehøj; south of Uhre Brogårdshøj and Pasbjerg, at Flø Heath a large flat hill in a group of 17 hills. Northwest of Dørslund lies a group of 11 hills, and at Lundfod close to the eastern parish  border a group of 6 hills.

Demolished or destroyed: 142 hills, a big part of these hills were single graves, several have been excavated.

At Uhre was found an amber jewelry from Stone Age. From Pedersborg origins a Bronze Age sacrifice jewelry find: brosche and hængekar (for the belt).

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Brande (1329 Brynied, ab. 1330 Brvnld, late 1300s Brønyld, 1438 Brunlæ, 1567 Brandle); St. Langkær (1524 Langker Mark, 1610 Langkier); Skærlund (1638 Skierlund); Uhre (1329 Vræ, 1610 Wffre); Brandlund (1329 Lund, 1610 Brandlund); Dørslund (1420 Dysling, Døseling); Flø (1610 Fløe); Blæsbjerg (1664 Bleszbierre); Lundfod (1632 Lundtfoed); Arvad (1638 Arrevad); Grarup (1488 Graarup); Skerris (1573 Skerrits); Nørre Askær (1610 Askier, 1683 Nørre Askier); Sønder Askær (1683 Synder Arszkier); Hyvild (1578 Hyffuitgaard, 1638 Hyvild); Risbjerg (1524 Riisberre Mark, 1610 Riisberj); Tarp (1638 Tarp, 1664 Thorp); Sandfeld (1610 Sandfeild); Sandfeld Bjerge (1664 Bierre, 1683 Sandfeld bierge); Brande Harrild (1352 Harride, 1610 Harild, 1664 Wester Harild); Lille Langkær (1638 Lill Langkier); Alkærlund (1664 Algierlundt); Kragsighuse (1329 Braksuk, late 1300s Kraaksik); Brandholm (1638 Braandholm); Usseltoft (1664 Wszelltofft); Husumgård (1664 Huszum); Brogård (1664 Brødgaard, 1683 Broegaard).  
   
Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

3 x photo Brande 2006: grethe bachmann
1 x photo from Google Earth.

Durup church/ Durup kirke, Harre herred ( in Salling), Viborg amt.

foto: stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Durup church has a Romanesque kernel, a choir and nave - and additions like a porch to the north, a tower to the west and another porch at the southside of the tower. The choir and nave are in granite ashlars upon a profiled plinth. Romanesque windows in the east gable and the north side of the choir are bricked-up, and also the north door and the disturbed south door. The inside of the church has a beamed ceiling, the choir arch is re-bricked and extended. The church had strong restoration and a partly rebuild in 1930-31. At this restoration the late Gothic western tower was replaced by a new and larger tower, which bottom room was in connection to the nave via a breakdown of the old gable. A new porch was built on the south side of the tower and the northern and possibly late medieval porch in monk-bricks was furnished as a burial chapel. The additions are white-washed, and the church is partly roofed with lead and tile.

An ashlar with a relic from the disappeared medieval altar table was found in the old tower's brickwork in 1930 and now lies in front of the entrance door. The present altar table in oak wood is from 1931. A contemporary altarpiece with a painting by J. Th.Skovgård. An altar piece from the 1800s with paintings of the crucified and the Evangelists hangs in the nave. New altar candelabres.A Romanesque granite font with a smooth basin. The baptismal dish was given in 1686 by parish priest Alexander Jacobsen and wife Dorthea Jensdatter. A pulpit in Renaissance with paintings of Christ and the Evangelists, repaired 1931. The sounding board lies on the loft ( in1962).  Series pastorum from 1931. To the west a gallery with organ. A bell in cast steel from ab. 1870 .



















Damgård in Toustrup gave fru Karen Nielsdatter in 1445 as a sjælsgave (soul's gift) to Dueholm kloster.

Mads Lykke is in 1511 mentioned of Durup. In 1660 Durupgård belonged under the manor Hegnet, also in 1791, but at that time it was divided into 3 farms.

Listed prehistorics: 4 hills, among those the large Toustruphøj, Tinghøj, where the herredsting (the District-Thing) was held once, and a third large hill, all at Toustrup. 
Destroyed or demolished: 47 hills, almost all in the southern part of the Parish, from one of those origins a grave-find from early Bronze Age with sword, bronze bowl and a gold bracelet.

 Names in the Middle Ages: Durup (1453 Durup); Toustrup (1436 Tostrup, 1474 Towstrop); Durupgårde (1524 Dwrvpgardt), Duruplund (1524 Lwndt, Lwnndt) ; Vilholm (1554 Willholmæ); Søndergård (1525 Søndergardt); Havgård (1524 Hoffgardt) Damgård (1445 Damgord). 


Source: Trap Danmark 1962

photo September 2012: grethe bachmann, stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk 

Billum church / Billum kirke, Vester Horne herred, Ribe amt.

Billum church, ab.10 km west of Varde
Billum sogn, Vester Horne herred, Ribe amt.
 
The white-chalked Billum church with leaden roof has a richly furnished apse, choir and nave and a later added sacristy, porch and tower. It was in its original look a fine example of the Ribe-district's tufa-stone churches.  The Romanesque core, which is the apse, the choir and the nave, is built upon a granite-plinth, while the tufa-walls are parted in reliefs and round-arch friezes, but they were somewhat renewed with bricks in a restore in 1880. A walled-in window is above the door of the sacristy, all other windows in Romanesque shape seem to be placed in their original place, but they have all been re-newed. Both doors of the nave are kept, the north door is walled-in, the south door is still in use. The added buildings are all from the late Middle Ages and built in monk bricks. The sacristy has a cross-vault, the tower has smooth gables, while the bottom tower room has a cross-vault and opens to the nave in a high, narrow arcade. The inside of the church is unusually high, it has beamed ceilings in choir and nave, while the apse has a half-cupola vault - the choir was earlier cross-vaulted. The Romanesque choir arch is preserved with profiled kragbånd.


 





The communion table is built in tufa-stone, upon this lies a granite-plate with a reliquary. The altar piece is a Renaissance-carved work, undoubtedly from the beginning of the 1600s, built into one large piece, divided into three parts with Tuscany pillars, sidewings and a top-piece, divided into two parts. In the fields are placed the original paintings (in 1965) . A Romanesque granite font and a south German baptismal bowl from ab. 1575. The pulpit, carved year 1634, is decorated with Ionian pillars as a frame around arcade-fields with relief-carved images of the four Evangelists. At one of the gables of the pews is carved "Elin Gødis 1581". The church owns a medieval wooden sculpture. Furthermore rests of a Mary-altar. In the Mary-figure was in 1918 found 19 coins from Chr. II's and king Hans' rule - they are now in the National Museum. Finally a late medival altar cupboard. In the sacristy a priest- or confessional-stool, similar to the stool in Janderup church and a small series pastorum 1750. The bell with minuskel-inscription is from 1432, cast by master Peter Jensøn on request of the parish priest hr. Jacob. In a restore in 1956 all the inventory was cleansed and painted, and the tower was face-walled. In 1954 was brought to light a medieval painted frieze with coat of arms.




Billumgård was in 1580 a noble-farm, which belonged to Knud Henriksen. In 1635 Otte Kruse's widow fru Sophie Staverskov exchanged it to Ribe chapter. In 1722 the king conveyed it to Peder Endorph at Hennegård.

In Kelst plantation is seen a cross of turf in the heather, the cross-arms are 4,7 m long and 1,6 m broad, here was once a church, Højbjerg church; a lime-tree is plant in the middle of the cross.
In Klokkepyt north of Billum was Billum church bell said to be cast.

In Billum church were in 1954-55 found 88 coins spread, of which 39 Danish coins from Valdemar II till Frederik VIII.

In a digging at a farm in Tarp were in 1818 found 22, mostly German speciedalers, and many little coins (last year 1642).

Listed prehistorics: 6 hills, of which 4 in a group at Billum heath north of the village.
Destroyed or demolished: 16 hills.

A small tuft burial-site from Celtic Iron Age is known from the parish.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Billum (1324 Bælium) ; Tarp (1342 Belium thorp, 1486 Tarp, 1494 Torp); Hannevang (1291 Hanærwangh); Billumgård (1638 Billomgaard); Kærgård (1661 Wed Kier, 1688 Kiern boell).

Source: Trap Danmark, Ribe amt, 1965. 
photo Billum church 2003: grethe bachmann

Stadil church / Stadil kirke, Hind herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Stadil kirke, 10 km north of Ringkøbing
Stadil sogn, Hind herred, Ringkøbing amt.

Stadil church is beautifully situated close to Stadil fjord at the outflow of Tim Å-river. The church is visible far away in the flat West Jutland landscape with the high sky above. It was possibly inaugurated to Sct. Laurentius, but is mentioned in 1514 as Sct. Hans (John) Evangelist Kirke. It has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Gothic additions, a tower to the west and a porch to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a double plinth. Both original doors are kept, the south door walled in, while the north door is in use. The choir has a round arched window to the east, which is walled in the lysning (light part) - and to the north is a similar window traceable. In the south side of the nave is a round arched window in use. At the church gate entrance to the north lies a monolite coverstone.



relief of lion? / bearded male head with tiara or crown


kragsten (inside the church) and a Romanesque piscina

In the walls of the nave are among other things inserted a picture ashlar, showing a strange bearded male head with a tiara or crown. In the north side of the choir an indistinct carving with a bird or animal. In the south side of the nave an ashlar with a majuskel-inscription which letters are clear but without meaning. At the west side of the tower stands a Romanesque piscina, a granite basin with outlet for washing altar vessels.


interior

The golden altar and the Romanesque baptismal font.

Inside the choir and nave have a beamed ceiling, and the broad choir arch has richly carved kragsten, to the north a dragon and to the south an archade frieze. The tower was built west of the nave in the late Gothic period; its bottom section in granite ashlars is a little broader than the upper section in monk bricks.The bottom room has a cross vault, and the narrow tower arch is extended by a door opening. At the north east corner is a stair tower with lead roofs and a pointed gable. The porch is also late Gothic and mostly built in monk bricks. Tower and porch are white-chalked while the other building sections stand in a blank ashlar wall.

The church has got an unusually rich inventory, which in 1901 was restored by the National Museum. The Romanesque walled communion table, in which was found a saint's grave in 1901 with a reliquary of Sct Laurentius (now at the National Museum) is covered by a luxurious carved panel in late Renaissance from ab. 1625. The impressive altar piece is a structure with four corinthic pillars, Evangelist reliefs, crucifixion and resurrection. The grand field is a magnificent Romanesque altar front, covered in gilt and browned copper plates, one of the famous golden altars from ab. 1200. The beaten reliefs are mounted in rock crystals.


Pulpit in late Renaissance/ Pews in late Renaissance with coat of arms.

Late Gothic altar candelabres. A small late Medieval mess bell hangs in its original place in the roof of the choir. In the choir is a late Gothic parish clerk /priest stool with gables decorated with cruciferic flowers and fials and with a fragmentaric minuskel-inscription A small late Gothic choir arch crucifix. A Romanesque granite font in West Jutland type with rope ornaments and a strange foot with small archades and high corner claws. A wooden font in late Renaissance from ab. 1640-50 with a contemporary sounding board is not in use. A very large pulpit in late Renaissance, similar to the altar piece, with a contemporary sounding board. A magnificent pew section in late Renaissance from 1634 and 1647 ,the upper section with the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Knud Gyldenstierne. Pulpit from ab. 1650 with good paintings of Christ and the apostles. Between nave and porch is an interesting door-wing, probably late Romanesque with archade fields. Two late Gothic figures, a Virgin Mary and a Kristoforus are at Ringkøbing Museum.


view from altar section to gallery with paintings.


wooden font in late Renaissance with sounding board.

Manors in Stadil sogn:
Søndervang possibly belonged to Bo Høg, who was said to pawn it to his brother-in-law at Vosborg. In 1424 his paternal grandson Lage Rød had a feud with Ingeborg Vendelbo of Vosborg about S. In 1464 and 1496 it belonged to the væbner (esquire) Claus Jensen (Skeel?) whose daughter fru Edel (+ after 1552) married Josef Rekhals, who in 1511 is mentioned of S. In 1538 it seems that Predbjørn Podebusk of Vosborg and Peder Ebbesen (Galt) owned a part of the farm. Josef Rekhals' daughter Birgitte brought it to her husband Terkel Pedersen, væbner (esquire) of Føvling (+ o. 1563), whose daughter Maren was married to Erik Vognsen, who in 1563 and 1593 is written of S. In 1603, after it had burnt down recently, it belonged to Mads Thomesen, who in 1607 conveyed it to Knud Gyldenstierne of Tim (+ 1636), whose daughter Jytte (+ 1640) brought it to her husband rigsråd (counsellor of state) hr. Otte Thott of Næs (+ 1636), who put the land of Pittrup and Nymark under the main farm, which he in 1653 sold to his brother-in-law Jørgen Rosenkrantz of Keldgård, who owned it with adjoined estate in 1662. From him it went back to the sister Dorthe Rosenkrantz, Otte Thott's widow, who in 1667 with her son-in-law Jørgen Krabbe and her stepson Knud Thott conveyed S. with adjoined estate to dr. med. Thomas Fuiren (+ 1673). After him it belonged to his brother's son Didrik Fuiren of Fuirendal (+ 1686), his widow Margrethe Eilers of Støvringgård (+ 1708) and her daughter friherreinde (baroness)Christine Fuiren (+ 1735), married to gehejmeråd Jens Harboe (+ 1709), after whom it with Østertoft was sold at auction to regimentskvartermester (military-chief) Svenning Andersen (+ 1760), whose estate in 1760 conveyed it to krigsråd (war counsellor) Peder Panderup of Marsvinslund, who in 1769 convyed it with taxes and estate plus the farm Østertoft to generalauditør (military title) Andreas Høyer of Irup (+ 1782). Later owners: Brockdorff, Toft, Slot, The Credit Institution, Skibsted, a consortium; from 1947 A. Kolby.

Østertoft was in 1668 conveyed by Dorthe Rosenkrantz of Søndervang to ridefoged (bailiff) at the same place Laurids Jensen (+ 1681) and it seems it came with his daughter to Rasmus Andersen of Søgård, whose daughter was married 1. time to Knud Hansen Rafn of Ø. (+ 1698) and the 2. time to Thomas Pedersen of Ø. and Staby Kærgård (+ 1730), whose widow Karen Riegelsdatter in 1731 together with her stepdaughter's husband Claus Caspergaard (later of Todbøl) conveyed Ø. to fru Christine Fuiren, and after this Ø. was a farm under Søndervang.


Vest Stadil Fjord

In Stadilholm is in 1455 mentioned væbner (esquire) Las Daa, who in 1456 pawned Pilegård and Østergård in Stadil sogn (parish) to priest Jens Jepsen same place and in 1459 conveyed it to bishop in Ribe Henrik Stangeberg, who had to redeem the pawn himself.

Stadilø is in 1583 named "Stalø" and was owned by Folmer Rosenkrantz of Stensballegård.

Kampgård was according to legend an earlier king's castle. Before the reformation it belonged to gråbrødreklostret (Fransiscan)in Ribe, but was in 1547 bought by Claus Sehested. In 1688 it was under Søndervang.

Names in the Middle Ages and the 1600s:
Stadil (1263 Stathel), Stadilby (1688 Stadel bye), Mejlby (1263 Mæthelby), Opstrup (1321 Opstorp), Fuglbjerg (1438 Fowælbergh), Stadilø (1610 Staddel Øe), Søndervang (1424 Synderwong), Søtoft (1624 Siøe tofft), Dybkær (1493 Dyker), Skadborg (1664 Schadborrig), Højen (1664 Paa Høyenn, Bjerg (1664 Paa Bieririg).

In the parish was earlier (besides the above mentioned Stadilholm (1455 Stathelholm, * 1489 Holm), also mentioned Pilegård (1340 Pylægaardh), and Østergård (1340 Østergord) in Opstrup; furthermore the farms Højstadil (1688 Høystadell), Holgård (1688 Huolgaardt) and Bertelsgård (1688 Bertelszgaardt).

There are no preserved prehistorics in the area, but there were 3 now out-ploughed hills, among those the large Bavnehøj i Opstrup. - At Alrum was examined a settlement from early Roman Iron Age.

Kilde :Trap Danmark, Ringkøbing amt, 1965.


photo Stadil 2003/2004: grethe bachmann & stig bachmann nielsen Naturplan Foto

Grinderslev church / Grinderslev kirke and Eskær, Nørre herred, Viborg amt.

Grinderslev Church
Grinderslev sogn, Nørre herred, Viborg amt.

The stately church, which once was a section of Grinderslev Augustine-kloster, consists of a Romanesque nave and choir with apse, a late Gothic tower to the west and a side-nave and sacristy to the north - and from present a porch to the south. The Romanesque church is built in granite ashlars; the apse is decorated with a blind-gallery of five fields, partly supported by small half pillars, partly of human head-shaped consols. The priest-door in the south side of the choir is also in fine artistic quality; its framestones is a dragon and a lion, while the upper ashlar has a half circular thympanum field with a double rope-winding around a circular cross. The walls of the nave are strongly re-built. The tower in the same broadth as the nave is built partly in re-used ashlars from a demolished west gable, partly in monk bricks. In the north wall is a stairway to the upper storeys.

Inside is a very high apse arch with kragsten and a half cupola vault. The choir arch with profiled kragsten is heightened. The choir and nave have star vaults and octagonal rib-vaults. The tower room with a beamed ceiling opens to the nave in a large round arch. Several restorations have been made. In a restoration was in the choir vault found four lydpotter (sound-pots), of which one is at the National Museum. In 1885-86 a very thorough restoration was carried through, and in 1932 was the inventory restored - and the sacristy was changed into a burial chapel. In 1923 were a series of Renaissance frescoes restored on the north wall of the nave from ab. 1600 with biblical scenes and coat of arms of the Juels at Astrup. The frescoes were again restored in 1952 and a late Gothic Madonna-picture was brought to light under the tower arch, the painting is from ab. 1510-20, and it is due to the same painter, who decorated Torum church.

A walled and washed communion table. The table plate is granite with a reliquary, which was found under the floor of the porch in 1954. It is now placed upon a bricked-up plinth in the apse. Altar piece in Renissance from ab. 1600 with a painting and the coat of arms of Erik Lykke of Eskær and fru Dorthe Krabbe. A Romanesque granite font. A late Gothic crucifix-group from ab. 1450 placed upon the north wall. The pulpit from the same workshop as the altar piece has in the fields apostelfigures from a Gothic altar piece. The pulpit and the sounding board are connected by a back-panel, which serves as series pastorum. In the three upper pews are placed gables from 1478 with the name and coat of arms of Bertel Kaas.Upon the opposite gables in the northside are coat of arms referring to Kjeld Iversen Juel (+ 1536). In the side-nave hangs a halsjern (neck-iron) from a pillory. In the north side of the tower room is a very large sandstone epitaph put up by Erik Lykke of Eskær with his and his wife's kneeling figures besides two children and other figures. Several memorials in the church.



chessboard pattern.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Grinderslev (*1176 Grindesle, *1216 Grindæslæf, 1390 Grindeslef, -leef); Breum (*1327 Breum); Mogenstrup (*1403 Mwnstrup, 1481 Moghenstrvp); Rærup (*1467 Rerup); Stouby (1498 Stoby, 1524 Stowby); Vejsmark (1498 Wess-, Wesse Mark, 1524 Weyssmarck); Grinderslevkloster (*1375 Grydersløff Kloster, 1469 Grænæsløwcloster); Eskær (*1328 Æskyær); Nørgård (*1420 Norgard, 1460 Nørregardh); Astrup (*1407 Alstrup, *1467 Astrop); Slejtrupgård (*1477 Slefftorp); Havgård (1664 Haugaard); Breum Fogedgård (1581 Breumfod, 1688 Breumfodgaard).



Grinderslevkloster was a monastery of the Augustine-order. It was the only kloster in Salling and it was established in the middle of the 1100s. In 1531 G. was by bishop Jørgen Friis af Haraldskær in Viborg endowed to Hans Pogwisch, who still was a vasal for the king after the reformation; in 1542 Grinderslevkloster was pawned to Niels Juel of Astrup. Fr. II exchanged in 1581 G. with Christoffer Lykke of Buderupholm, whose son Iver Lykke in 1611 sold the estate to Dorthea Krabbe (+ 1623), widow after a relative, Erik Lykke of Havnø. Various owners.

Nørgårds first known owner was hr. Stig Munk, who is mentioned in 1420, then his sister's daughter's son Bertel Kaas (Sparre-K.) who in 1468 achieved the farm via Chr. I by law and still is written to it in 1495. The next owners are his children Iver Kaas (1517) and Edel Kaas, married to Mogens Jensen (Harbou), whose son landsdommer Jens Mogensen Hvide (Harbou) of Sindinggård (+ 1549) sold N. to his sister's son Mogens Spend, who still owned the farm in 1592. After him his sister Inger Spend, married to Mads Pors (Skadeland) (+ ab. 1593); one of their children Anne Pors( Skadeland) owned it in 1599, Hans Pors (Skadeland) in 1622 and 1625; his widow Anne Florisdatter (Rønnow)(+ ab. 1640) owned it in 1638. After the son Erik Pors (Skadeland's) death in 1645 the widow Anne Skade married Folmer Rosenkrantz, who in 1654 out-bought his brother-in-law Frederik Skade and in 1655 sold N. to Valdemar Lykke of Grinderslevkloster (+ 1657), whose widow Sofie Reedtz in 1683 sold it with 4 farms to Anne Jensdatter (Erik Grubbe of Tjele's frillekone = illegal wife). She got a deed on N. in 1684 and transferred it in 1685 to her son-in-law Frederik Ulrik Ulfeld, but already in 1687 it belonged to dyer Erik Lauridsen Sterch of Holstebro, who in 1702 conveyed it to his sons. Various owners.

Astrup belonged in 1407 to Rigild Puge and came then in the ownership of the family Juel: about 1460 Iver Juel, the son Kjeld Iversen Juel (+ 1536), the brothers Niels Kjeldsen Juel (+ 1573) and Iver Kjeldsen Juel (+ 1556), his son Kjeld Iversen Juel (+ 1606) and then probably a son's son of Iver Kjeldsen's sister, Kjeld Brockenhuus (+ 1616), whose son Just Brockenhuus owned A. in 1619. Various owners. The main building is listed in class B.

Eskær Manor


Eskær
Grinderslev sogn, Nørre herred, Viborg amt.

Eskær was in 1328 owned by hr. Jakob Nielsen (Gyldenstierne) and before 1407 by hr. Niels Jakobsen, undoubtedly his son. Eskær later came into the ownership of the family Banner; how early this happened is uncertain, since the information about the first generations of the family is meagre and unreliable. It is certain that the farm came to "de nye Høeger" (the new Høeg-family), a sideline of the family Banner. It was owned by the brothers hr. Eskild Nielsen (Høeg) (+ 1493 or 1494) and hr. Peder Høeg and likewise of their sons Jakob Eskildsen (Høeg) and hr. Niels Pedersen Høeg (+ 1524). With hr. Niels' daughter Anne Høeg E. came to her husband Niels Jensen Rotfeld (+ 1551) who before 1540 gave the farm to his son Jens Rotfeld, who died in 1558 as the last male member of his family, and then E. came to the sister Johanne Rotfeld (+ 1577); a widow after Hans Lykke of Havnø. The son Erik Lykke (+ 1602) took over E. in 1577 and extended the estate; but his son Iver Lykke had , caused by debts, to give E. to grev Christian Rantzau's heirs in 1664. Various owners. the main building is listed in class A.

Mogenstrup was in 1403 pawned by Jes Pape to hr. Johan Skarpenberg. In 1469 it was by Jep Pusil sold to bishop Knud in Viborg, who also bought parts in it from Jes, Christen and Nis Grøn. When Mogens Mogensen (Due, Glob) in 1418 exchanged property with members of the family Krabbe (of Østergård) Mogenstrup came to him on behalf of his wife Anne Mortensdatter Krabbe.


Jenle


Jeppe Aakjær's grave

The farm Jenle was built in 1906-07. The owner was the author Jeppe Aakjær, who lived here and during some years held a large folks-meeting every summer. In a little forest at the land of Jenle is his grave .

Upon an islet in the dried-out Brokholm sø the National Museum examined in 1912 a fortificated medieval yard. There were a row of poles from a large half-timbered building. A curved dam went from the place to the land in north-northeast.

Listed prehistorics: 12 hills, of which several are rather large: Vihøj at Vihøjgård, Byhøj and Halehøj north of the church, 4 large hills, of which Hovmandshøj east of Breum and two larger hills north of Nørgård.
Demolished or destroyed: 77 hills, which mainly were in a stripe through the parish upon the high land passing Nørgård, Breum, Grinderslev and up to Rusted vandmølle. In one of the hills at Breum was found an early Bronze Age grave with a beautiful dagger with a gilt button and 2 goldspiralrings.

A kitchen midden is known from Astrup. At Nørgård was found a clay pot with 150 amber pearls. In the small Tranebærmose at Grinderslevkloster were found two necklaces from late Bronze Age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962


photo Grinderslev, Eskær & Jenle in 2004: grethe bachmann