Uth church / Uth kirke and Boller, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt.

Uth church, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt, ab. 5 km south of Horsens

The large church, which has replaced a granite ashlar building from  Roman time, is mostly built 1575-77, but this uniqe Renaissance building was in 1869 recreated into a neo-Romanesque basilika -a very regretful loss.

The Renaissance church from 1575-77 , built by fru Karen Gyldenstierne after her husband's death, was shaped as a three-naved, rectangular, longhouse with round-arched vaults in the mid-nave and point arched in the side-naves, all under one roof. Here was a western tower and a burial chapel to the south.  In 1869 was this building reshaped into a three-naved neo-Romanesque basilika with beamed ceiling in the mid-nave and grat-vaults in the side-naves. The walls of the mid-nave were enheightened and had double round-arched windows, in the eastern gable a high-placed circular window.

The tower had a high pyramid roof, and the main entrance was placed at its west-side. Above the portal is a granite thympanum with the image of a tree of life. It probably origins from the Romanesque granite ashlar church.  The chapel has kept the character of the Renaissance building. Upon the eastern gable of the nave are the initials of  Karen Gyldenstierne and upon the tower the initials of Erh. Wedel-Friis and wife and the year 1773.

The altar piece is a Lutheran triptychon in early Renaissance; it was given in 1577 by Karen Gyldenstierne and repaired in 1724 by count Reventlow. The large ore candelabres from 1594 have the coat of arms and initials of Otto Christoffer Rosenkrantz and Gisele Podebusk. A pretty Romanesque granite font of Horsens-type with lions and palmettes.Baptismal bowl of Netherland -type from 1622. Pulpit from 1793, a simple work in provinciel Baroque. Bell 1868 by Stallknecht, Horsens.

Old house in Uth

The chapel is divided from the church by an iron grating. In the wall is a strange epitaph with horisontal stones for Holger Ottosen Rosenkrantz of Boller and Rosenvold, vasal at Skanderborg and Bygholm (+ 1575), Mette Krognos (+ 1568) and Karen Gyldenstierne. Next to the warrior between two wives are the figures of two small girls, Margrete and Ellen. Upon the wall a painted oil portrait from 1578 of Holger Rosenkrantz and Karen Gyldenstierne with 4 children. Furthermore a marble sarcophagus with the bodies of Jens Kraeg-Juel-Vind of Juellinge (+ 1776), his wife Cathrine, née Gram (+ 1810) and Cathrine W. Juel, née Wedell-Jarlsberg, (+ 1786) In the tower room a gravestone for jomfru Margrete, Holger Rosenkrantz' daughter ( + 1551), a trapeze-shaped stone with 2 coat of arms. Also for Jens Nielsen, Boller Mill ( + 1698) and wife. A gravestone for Otto Holgersen Rosenkrantz (+ 1525) was originally in Lübeck, but was moved to Uth and finally to Hornslet church, Randers amt. In the choir a memory-tablet for officers from the battle at Heide in Ditmarsken 13 June 1559 and a frescoe-painted coat of arms for Holger Rosenkrantz and Karen Gyldenstierne and year 1575. In the church are buried rigsråd Holger Rosenkrantz (+1575) and the nobleman Otte Christofffer Rosenkrantz (+ 1621).

Boller (Castle) belonged 1350 to Otte Limbek, later to hr. Mogens Munk (Bjælke-Munk), after whose death in 1410 queen Margrethe was accused of having taken his possessions in Bygholm and Boller; in 1435 was delclaired that the queen had given his brother hr. Stig Munk back a large part. B. belonged in 1461 to Mogens Munk's daughter Anne Munk (+ ab. 1462), married to rigsråd hr. Henrik Knudsen Gyldenstierne ( + 1456), whose son-in-law hr. Erik OttesenRosenkrantz ( + 1503) from before 1483 owned the farm. (1477 was væbner Jes Ulf bailiff at B). Already in 1494 he laid out the farm as heritage  to his son Holger Eriksen Rosenkrantz, and after his death in 1496 to his children in 1499. Among these died  Holger Rosenkrantz childless in 1534, while hr. Otte Rosenkrantz (+ 1525) left several children, who in 1542 outbought their father's brother-in-law hr. Christian Friis (of Haraldskær),of Krastrup and hr. Axel Brahe of Kragholm. Rigsmarsk hr. Holger Rosenkrantz (+ 1575) became the sole owner, and he and his widow Karen Gyldenstierne (+ 1613) rounded off the estate by exchanges with the Crown. In 1592 was B. taken over by the son Otte Christoffer Rosenkrantz run into a large debt, why the heirs soon after his death in 1621 sold B. and Rosenvold to fru Ellen Marsvin.

Chr. IV had possibly lent her the money, since he in 1630 could force her to give the farm to her daughter, the king's wife Kirstine Munk, who fell into disfavour and was allowed to live at B. in the future, almost as a prisoner.After her death in 1658 at B. the heirs had to give up the farm because of some debt to Mogens Friis of Favrskov, who in 1672 established the county Frijsenborg. B. followed this county as an "allodial" estate until 1844. The county was abandoned in 1920, and at the death of lensgreve, Mogens Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs in 1923 was B. inherited by the daughter, komtesse Agnes Louise Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs, married to lensgreve Erik Bernstorff Gyldensteen of Gyldensteen. She sold the estate in 1930, which was Boller, Christiansminde and later lesser tenant-farms and 1384 ha forest to the State. Main building and park were sold to the sick-benefit associations in Skanderborg, Horsens and Kolding, and they established B. as a resting home. 

By the moat

The main building lies upon a large rectangular castle bank upon a flat coast- plain towards Horsens fjord. It is surrounded by waterfilled moats. The plan, which is mostly from the 1500s, is strongly marked by rebuild and reduction and has lost all its outer splendour ; it is now dressed in a simple suit from the 1700s. The northern house of the 4 houses is the oldest, undoubtedly built by Holger Rosenkrantz shortly after he came to stay at Boller in 1548. In 1551 he became the sole owner.In the middle of the bottom floor is preserved a magnificent overvaulted hall with cross-rib vaults upon pillars of early medieval origin, probably from a demolished church. Upon the facade of the east wing is a very pretty sandstone tablet with the coat of arms of Rosenkrantz-Gyldenstierne. Upon the wall in the yard-area is placed an early medieval gravestone for Peder Gødesen Pot. In 1759 and some years ahead let lensgreve Chr. Friis the whole plan have a thorough rebuild and modernizing. The inside was splendidly furnished, and in 1769 was a memorial tablet therefore inserted above the south-wing's main portal by lensgreve Erh. Wedel-Friis. The main buiklding is listed in class A.

The old oak

In the rose garden

In the large park are many old trees. The big lime tree, under which was set a table for 180 people during Chr. VIII's visit, blew down in the Christmas storm in 1902. At Boller was established the first fasaneri (pheasant farm ) in Denmark. A large avenue of  lime trees leads to the motor road  - and from 8 avenues went some of them down to Horsens fjord. According to Pontoppidan's Atlas was a now disappeared arbour in the forest.

Sejet was earlier a parish with church. In 1574 Holger Rosenkrantz had a deed on the church with church yard and land and with allowance to demolish the church and use the material to improve Uth church to which Sejet parish was moved. A memorial stone is raised at the demolished church's place in 1962.

Listed prehistorics: Upon Sejet mark (field) a partly collapsed dolmen chamber and 9 hills, of which 8 in Boller's forest.
Demolished or destroyed: 13 hills.  

Kitchen middens are known from Boller Nederskov and an Iron Age settlement in Klokkedalen.

Names from the Middle Ages: Uth (1492 Voed, 1495 Wodh); Sejet (1416 or 1418 Sede, 1511 Seydt); Neder Ustrup (1477 Wrstrop, 1556 Udstrup); Boller (1350 Boluer, 1435 Boluer, 1442 Boller).

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

Visborg church / Visborg kirke and Visborggård, Hindsted herred, Aalborg amt.

Visborg Church, 4 km northeast of Hadsund
Visborg sogn, Hindsted herred, Aalborg amt

The impressive church in Visborg, situated upon a hill with a slope to the south and west,has a rather unusual building history, since the original Romanesque church is almost totally rebuilt during the Renaissance period. It has the rests of a Romanesque nave with a tower from the Reformation period and a choir-part, sacristi, chapel and porch, probably all from the 1590s. The tower has a cross-vaulted bottom room and a flat-curved tower arch. A very pretty flat-curved window to the west shows a close connection to the porch-portal in Astrup Church, dating the tower to the 1540s. The building was renovated in 1943.

The rich inventory is mainly marked by the Renaissance. The altar piece on the re-built communion table is from ab. 1600, given by Sophie Bille with the coat of arms of Rosenkrantz, Seefeld and Bille. The original painting was brought back after a renovation. Altar-rails in wrought iron from ab. 1600. In the choir are two pairs of choir-stools, each with four seats and carved gable-planks with extraordinally coarse animal figures in high relief. South German baptismal bowl from 1575 with the Habsburg-coat of arms. Pulpit from the same time and with the same coat of arms as the altarpiece. The pews are from various periods 1) 1570 with the coat of arms of Johanne Nielsdatter Rotfeld of Havnø ; 2) from 1574; 3) from 1587 with the coat of arms of Jakob Seefeld and wives; 4) from 1636.



A glazed tile with the year 1585 was found in the floor in the renovation in 1943, it is now on the wall of the nave. Small chandelier from 1721, given by ritmester Jakob Kjærulf. A door wing is between the porch and nave , iron bound with the year 1592. A painting "The Coppersnake in the Desert" from the 1700s hangs in the chapel. Church bells: 1) from the beginning of the 1400s, small without inscription; 2) from 1672, given by Birgitta Urne and Claus Seefeld. Church Ship: Warship "Hendrik Harren" from ab. 1850.

The church is rich in burials, under the sacristi and the choir were large burial vaults, which have now been cleared. In the sacristi are sandstone coffins with colonel Andreas Arenstorff, + 1764, and his wife Sophie Marie von Schiebel, + 1761. From earlier funerals are several plates and some armour-pieces on the walls. A a coffin plank - which was a piece from a wardrobe-chest from 1585 with the coat of arms of Oluf Krognos and Anna Hardenberg - is at Aalborg Museum. Above some wooden-grating doors is a large family-group picture painted in 1600 imaging Jakob Seefeld and his wives and children. Several gravestones, for families Seefeld, Rosenkrantz, Bille from the 1600s.

Visborggård


Visborggård belonged in 1343 and 1351 to Anders Nielsen, in 1401 to Jens Nielsen Munk (Vinranke-Munk), possibly Anders Nielsen's brother; in 1408 and 1422 to their sons Niels Andersen and Mads Jensen (Munk). After Mads Jensens' death ab. 1442 it came to his son hr. Jens Madsen Munk, + 1501, who was the owner from 1445. After him V. went to his son's sons Jens and Jakob Munk, but they died childless, and V. with 37 farms and 16 bol (small farms) came to their mother Inger Andersdatter Bjørn, married 2) with Jens Thygesen Seefeld , + before 1537. In 1534 Visborggård was burnt down by Skipper Klement and his peasant army. After Enevold Jensen Seefeld , + 1557, it came to his son Jakob Seefeld, + 1599, . After his death his widow Sophie Bille was the manager of his many estates until her death in 1608. After the family Seefeld during the 1600s various owners , families Urne, Svane, Benzon, Arenstorff, etc. Since 1938 Visborggård is a home for the mentally sick.


Visborggård, the sandstone-portal

The main building is listed in class A. It is surrounded by broad moats. A three-winged plan, dominated by the south wing, a fine Renaissance-building, built in 1575-76 by Jakob Seefeld. The walls are red monkbricks upon a tall granite-plinth which stands directly in the moat without a bank, except around the gable and the side-winges where is an area between moat and wall. The facade is flanked by octagonal corner-towers. The tall cellar has windows in the shape of arrow slits. A rich sandstone portal in high Renaissance with plate with the coat of arms of Jakob Seefeld and his two wives decorates the entrance gate . Above the gate was once an enormous gate tower, and all walls had cornices; the disappeared gables were decorated with sandstone. Fragments are kept in a cellar-room at Visborggård. Jakob Seefeld's building plan was very impressive, the still preserved wing was connected to two side wings, an eastern and western - and the legend says - probably true -that it had seven towers, besides the others were stairway towers in the inside corners, and at the northern gables were corner towers . The stairway towers are still traceable.

A painting at V. (portrait of Claus Seefeld) from 1668 shows the towers equipped with spires and the building with weather vanes in the form of jumping deer. The original side wings were probably demolished ab. 1730. Various changes during the years. Some loft-paintings are preserved . A terracotta-fireplace is at the National Museum. Opposite the bridge which replaced the original drawbridge are two sandstone bears with the coat of arms of the family Arenstorff.

The sandstone-portal and a French-inspired Baroque-garden are the attractions of Visborggård. Public access to the court yeard and the garden.

Havnø


Havnø was in 1468 owned by hr. Jens Madsen Munk (Vinranke-Munk) of Visborggård , +1501. With his daughter Eline it came to Hans Lykke , + before 1511, and his children hr. Peder Lykke, + 1535, and Erik Lykke, whose widow Anne Kaas (Sparre-Kaas) had it by law 1541. Their son Hans Lykke, + 1553, owned Havnø, and after him his widow Johanne Nielsdatter Rotfeld of Eskær, + 1577, and son Erik Lykke, + 1602. After his widow Dorothea Krabbe Havnø came to Iver Christoffersen Lykke between 1609 and 1614. Various owners, families: Seefeld, Krag, Rosenkrantz, Benzon, Sehested etc. Some outparcelling.


Havnø Mølle

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Visborg ( ab. 1343 Wisburgh, 1351 Wisborgh, 1401 Wæsebwrgh); Glerup (*1456 Glerup); Strandkær (1552 Strandkiergord); Glargårde (1571 Glashytten, 1664 Glargaarden); Møllegårde (1664 Møllgaarden); Visborggård *1456 Wiszborggaardt); Havnø (*1468 Haffnøe, Hannøe, 1477 Haffneøø, Haffuenøø) .

The Thing was earlier at Visborggård, in ab. 1680 and 1743 it is mentioned in Visborg By. (town)

Upon the road between Visborg and Visborggård is a small hill with trees and a memorial stone for the white horse which the king, Christian X, rode across the border on the tenth of July in 1920. (Genforeningen).The owner of the horse was grev Danneskiold-Samsøe of Visborggård.

Listed prehistorics: One longhill and 22 hills.
Demolished or destroyed: 16 hills

Important kitchen middens from Ertebølle-kulturen are known from Havnø (Lundebakke, Visborg Bjergbakke). In a moor by Glerup was an important sacrifice-finding from Bronze Age . Several stone graves from early Roman Iron Age, one at Møllebakken in Visborg and a weapon-grave at Glerup.

Source: Trap Danmark, Aalborg amt, 1961.


photo Visborg kirke/Visborgård 2003-2007: grethe bachmann