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

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

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

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

Sjørring church/wikipedia

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

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

interior/gb

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








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

Inventory.

Romanesque font/gb

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








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



                                                          

Bishop's Grave/gb

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

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

Sjørring Volde left, the church right/ Google Earth

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


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

Linde church / Linde kirke, Nørhald herred, Randers amt

Linde kirke, foto: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

The church in Linde has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from 1837 to the south. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars. From original details the south door is  preserved, but moved to a new entrance from west, and in the east wall of the choir is a bricked-up round arched window with a monolite lintel. Below the pulpit stand fragments of granite pillars, probably from the north portal -and in the tower are inserted various fragments. The nave has a flat ceiling, while the choir in the late Gothic period ab. 1500 had a cross vault. The choir arch is extended, probably in 1591-92, according to a frescoe inscription. Its kragsten are placed as plinths. The bottom room of the tower had once a pointed arch opening to the west, it is now used as a porch. The porch from 1837 has a portal in rural late Empire. The building was repaired in 1955-56.

In the vault of the choir are frescoe ornaments and birds from ab. 1500, among others a pelican, and upon the triumph wall are fragments of a Doomsday image with apocalyptic horsemen. Altar piece in Renaissance from the beginning of the 1600s, with original painting. Chalice from 1632 given by Jens Pedersøn Lycke, renovated with new cup 1746. Baluster-shaped Renaissance candelabres. Roughly carved Romanesque granite font with lions and deer. Smooth brass bowl from the 1600s. Pulpit in Renaissance with decoration from 1700s, Evangelist portraits. A Romanesque gravestone with procession cross is inserted in the wall of the porch.


Lindegård belonged 1344 and 1347 to Niels Eriksen (Saltensee), 1355 Erik Nielsen (Saltensee), who pawned it to Jens Svendsen, whose son Svend Skobe transferred it in 1401 to queen Margrete, who in 1407 gave L. and Tjæreby to Århus domkirke (cathedral) After the reformation it belonged to hr. Jørgen Lykke of Overgård, who in 1549 exchanged it to the king, who 1558 exchanged it to Mariagerkloster, from where it in 1614 with a desolate mille-site was exchanged to Mogens Kaas (Sparre-K.) under whose farm Støvringgård it was in 1662. In 1765 sold to Lars Christensen.

A sacred well. Skt. Lawes kjeld, is found downside the hills west of Linde Møllebæk (Mill-brook).

Listed prehistorics: 3 large hills, of which two belong to the group Trehøje at a hill north of Mejlby, a little to the west is Halmhøj which is a little out-digged.
Demolished: one hill. - At Torsmark was found a clay pot grave from early Roman iron age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.

photo November 2011: grethe bachmann &; stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan.dk

Bejstrup church / Bejstrup kirke, Øster Han herred, Hjørring amt

Bejstrup church, ab. 10 km southeast of Fjerritslev
Bejstrup sogn, Øster Han Herred, Hjørring amt.


The tower is rather big for a village church. The bottom part built in granite boulders ends in a fine archade - and the upper part of the square tower is built in 'monk-bricks'. Originally the tower was entirely built in granite boulders. Notice the triangular stone mason mark above the archade.

Bejstrup village church is a socalled 'Forhalskirke' (church with a front hall/vestibule). On occasions the parish priest is arranging evening songs in candle light in the big tower hall, since it invites for special arrangements.
Bejstrup Church was in the Catholic period inaugurated to St. Nicolaus. It has a Romanesque nave and choir, a later added western tower and a late Gothic porch to the north. The nave and choir is built in granite ashlars . Three original windows are on the north side, one in the choir and two in the nave are in use, the north door too, while the south door is an inside glare. The large choir arch with profiled kragsten is preserved. In the late Middle Ages was built a cross vault in the choir. The nave has a flat beamed ceiling. The tower is an interesting piece of Romanesque architecture. The bottom storey is built in granite ashlars upon a profiled double plinth. In several ashlars are carved crosses and other figures. The outer walls are ornamented with slender round arched archade glares. A western pillar portal forms an entrance to the tower room, which is equipped as a front hall and connected to the nave in two round arched arcades, supported by one heavy square pillar. Upon one of the ashlars in this pillar is a carved a swastika.

Stone figures at the bottom of a pillar. On the corner a human face.


Chessboard Pattern
The tower room is vaulted with four cupola vaults. In the northwest corner is built-in a stairway to the next storey, where the original look is unknown, since the upper section of the tower already in the Middle Ages was completely re-built in a mix of granite boulders and bricks. Until 1874 the tower had a gable roof, and upon the south side was the year 1797. Caused by dilapidation the whole tower was demolished in 1874. The bottom section was re-built with retention of all original details, while the upper section was re-newed in red bricks and was equipped with a four-sided pyramid spire. The porch was re-built contemporary, it is mostly in granite ashlars which probably origin from the original upper section of the tower.

An inside restoration was made in 1940. The walled communion table is covered in a pine panel. The altar piece is a protestantic triptychon from the end of the 1500s, in the middle field a painting from 1770. Altar candelabres of a late Gothic type. A Romanesque granite font. The baptismal bowl has the year 1689. A pulpit from 1584 with the name of a priest Thomis Pedersøn. The pews are re-newed from 1940. A church bell from 1640. Gravestones from the 1600s on the church yard, one grave stone with an indistinct inscription, probably from 1379. Several old church yard monuments, i.e. cast iron crosses in the eastern section of the church yard. A grave tree from 1822 and a child's grave tree are now at Nordjyllands Historiske Museum.

The tower room is a big hall to which an entrance leads from outside via a port of pillars. The entrance to the apse goes from the hall through two archade openings. The granite baptismal font is the oldest inventory from the first existence of the church. The pulpit is from 1584.
Upon the granite walls of Bejstrup church are many interesting stone figures and stone mason marks.



Bejstrup church

Names in the middle ages:
Bejstrup (1371 Bysdrop, 1410 Beesthorp); Manstrup (1462 Manstrup); Blegebrønde (1552 Blegebryundtt); Tanderupgård (1458 Tandrvp gardh); Sønderstrup (1477 Soønderstrvp).
The Børglum bishop had in the last half of the 1000s undoubtedly a farm in Bejstrup parish. Bejstrup's medieval name was 'Biskopstorp'. In 1086 Knud IV (den Hellige) stayed at the fortification Aggersborg, from where he wanted to gather a Viking fleet for England, but his hard methods made the Viking chiefs furious, and they chased him out of Aggersborg. Knud took temporary cover in Biskopstorp before he crossed Limfjorden by Aggersund and fled from his pursuers all the way through Jutland and to Odense, where he was murdered in the cathedral.

At Tanderupgård died in 1623 Niels Nielsen Griis. In 1664 it was owned by Knud Seefeld of Oksholm. In 1683 it was used by Niels Jensen Manstrup (+1702), whose widow Else Pallesdatter Griis (of Slettegård) in 1703 bought it from Anders Kjærulf of Bjørnsholm; she died the same year, but was then engaged to Peder Laursen Rod, the above mentioned Niels Jensen Manstrup's brother's son, who took copyhold of T. and ab. 1720 bought it for himself.

Nørgård in Bejstrup village was in 1664 owned by Jens Pedersen Rod and Hans Mandixen, or his widow Birgitte Ladebur. In 1688 it was owned by Laurs Jensen Rod etc., his daughter Karen Laursdatter Rod was married to tenant at Ågård and Ålegård Jacob Baltsersen (+ 1716).

Listed prehistorics: a two chambered long dolmen Grønhøj and a dolmen chamber, both at Bejstrup; at Manstrup one 70 m long longhill, possibly a long dolmen, where the stones have been removed. Furthermore 19 hills of which two at Blegebrønde and Manstrup are rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 5 long dolmens, of which Mulhøj with a pentagonal chamber, a passage grave with a side chamber at Manstrup and 3 indefinable stone graves, furthermore 30 hills.
Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.

photo Bejstrup 170606: grethe bachmann

Hjardemål church /Hjardemål kirke, Hillerslev herred, Thisted amt.

Hjardemål Church , Thy
a few km south of the North Sea by Vigsø Bugt

Interior.


The Romanesque granite font is of Thybo-type.


A back entrance to the church yard.


A lake with water lilies in Hjardemål Dune Plantation.

The church has a Romanesque choir and nave, a Late Gothic western tower and a southern porch from the 1800s. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars. Both doors are preserved , the south door is in use, the north door stands with an inside niche. The east window of the choir is an inside niche, while the round arched window to the north is well preserved. The nave has kept two original windows. In several places in the walls are ashlars with stone mason marks.
The unusual tall and heavy tower from about 1500 is built in monk bricks above re-used ashlars. The tower was a light house in its earlier days, but since the plantations grew up, it is invisible from the sea.

The church has beamed ceilings. The triumph arch has profiled 'kragsten'. The altar piece is made of three point arched fields with paintings from 1837. Above the altar piece is placed a square sounding board from ab. 1600. A romanesque granite font of thybo-type . A south German baptismal basin from ab. 1575. The pulpit is from ab. 1600. The sounding board above the pulpit is contemporary . The gallery in the western part of the church is from ab. 1600. The church bell from 1513.

Epitaph ab. 1650 on Chr. Nielsen Morsing, + 1673, a joinery in rural Renaissance. Gravestone 1) Lauridtz Jensen Koch, + 1691 and wife, 2) parish priest Peder Nielsen Sengeløs, + 1699.

Names in the Middle Ages and the 1600s:
Hjaremål/Hjardemål (* 1436 Hiarmull, 1477 Hormol, 1505 Hiermall, 1664 Hiarmall);
Kåse (*1435 Kaasse); Tved (1600 Tuedt); Skiverklit (1470 Skyrdklitte, Skywrklitte, 1483 Skørclith); Blovsgaarde (1602 Blagsgaardt, 1664 Blochsgaard); Rimmegaard (1664 Rimergaard, 1688 Paa Remmen); Rovergaard ( 1638 Rovad); Oddersbøl (1600 Odersbøll); Madsbøl (1477 Marssbol); Langhov( 1603 Langschou, 1664 Paa Haw).

Oddersbøl ( in 1686 belonging to Vesløsgaard), was owned after 1686 by Laurids Koch (+1691) and then his widow Anne Sørensdatter Guldager, whose daughter Anne brought it to her husband Casper Preetzmann. In 1752 it belonged to his son Erik Zacharias Preetzmann (+1772), whose widow Margrethe Hesseldahl kept it until her death in 1796.

Esper Hvas of Tved (the family Hvas of Skjortholt) is mentioned in 1568.

In 1477 Per Nielsen of Langvad had estate Marssbol in pawn for 16 mark dansk by Otto Stampe (the family Stampe of Klarupgård) and Ingerd Lauridsdattter (maybe O. Stampe's wife), whose rightful inheritance it was. In 1505 Otto Stampe's son Mogens Stampe sold "Morsbooel" to Margrethe Turesdatter (Bjelke) of Ågård.

In 1472 væbner Michel Terkildsen of Korssze is mentioned.

The house Voldum is the rest of a village by the same name (1508 Vollom) In the parish is in 1552 and later mentioned the farm Medelklit, ab. 1600 the farms Ved Kæret (1600 Vid Kieridt) and Fladskæret (1603 Fladtzkeridt), in 1664 the farms Wed Blød and Lille Odersbøl.

Listed prehistorics:
Two hills of which one at Tved is large. Demolished hills not noted, but two Bronze Age grave findings are known, both with a dagger and a pålstav (axe-type). At Korsø were found several graves, built in limestone, with graves from Roman Iron Age.

The parish - being only a few km from the North Sea - has suffered extremely from sand drift. But the large Hjardemål Dune Plantation is not only sand. There are several small lakes.

Source: Trap Danmark, Thisted amt, 1961

photo 15 June 2006: grethe bachmann