Fovlum/Foulum church, Himmerland

Fovlum church, wikipedia

Fovlum/Foulum Kirke
Vesthimmerlands Kommune, Region Nordjylland 
Before 1970: Gislum Herred, Aalborg Amt. 

Fovlum church in Himmerland lies in the village Fovlum 7 km southwest of Farsø. The church  is one of the best preserved Romanesque granite churches in Denmark. The apse, choir and nave  are built in granite ashlars in ab. 1125-1175 -  and a porch was added in 1879 ( in Romanesque style in red bricks upon a granite plinth). The two church portals are preserved, both with frame stones formed like half pillars with richly profiled corbels and buestik with rundstave (curved and round sticks) . Above the bricked south door is a relief of an animal flanked by two spear-armed warriors. In the tympanum below is a traceable, weathered relief of a bird -  maybe the Holy dove. The male entrance is bricked with ashlars, and among those is a chessboard like a similar ashlar in Skarp Salling church's triumph wall.

photo: Google Earth

The Romanesque windows are kept in the apse and on the north side of the church. In the porch are five gravtræer (grave-trees) = grave frames in oak, with inscriptions from the 1600s. They were brought to light from the church floor in connection to a restore in the 1870s. Both the pulpit from the ab. 1600s and the altarpiece from 1633 are equipped with newer paintings. Only the painting in the top piece of the altarpiece is original.

Upon the church yard is a bell frame -  and until 1872 was a long dolmen. The church was reinaugurated in 2012 after a restore with a new altarpiece painted by Anita Houvenaeghel (born 1945) -  and the church has got a new colorized kneeler, pulpit, pews and loft in order to create a full colorness. 

Fovlum, chessboard, wikipedia

Source from a website of Fovlum church.
The Danish writer Martin A. Hansen travelled in his time round Denmark and visited the Danish churches. He called the church in Fovlum "the noblest building in the country". Few Danish churches have been kept as original as Fovlum church. The long dolmen in the churchyard is now traceable as a long east-west rise above the earth.

The stone master in charge of the church building more than 800 years ago might also have built Skarp Salling church and the original cathedral in Viborg.

photo: Google Earth

The north wall of Fovlum church is untouched while the south wall is was worn out from changing temperatures and was rebricked about 100 years ago and equipped with larger windows. The porch was built outside the original woman entrance. The big planks on the wall are gravestones in wood frpm the 1600s which were placed as a lid upon the graves inside the church.

The big crucifix is new and created by the artist Erik Heide from Mors (island in Limfjorden) , who also made some gravestones in the church yard , a water stone by Ullits school and a monolite of flying birds which form small crosses at a new church yard in the village Farsø.

The church walls were red in the Middle Ages. They are now white washed and in a few places the red colour breaks through the white.

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Kousted church/ Kousted kirke, Nørhald herred, Randers amt.

The south door

 


Kousted church has a nave and a choir from the Romanesque period in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The granite choir arch and several windows to the north are kept. The south door inside the porch has a tympanum with a ribbon bow and cubic Capitals. The north door is bricked up. The nave and choir got vaults in the late Middle Ages and the tower was built in granite ashlars in the same period like the porch, which is in bricks. The tower room is not connected to the nave. In the east wall of the porch is a holy water vessel in a niche, (it was originally a corn-crushing stone from prehistoric time)


Upon the wall of the northside of the church is the relief of a lion turning upside-down. 

The niche

Klingpung

The altarpiece is new, a pretty patchworck. The pulpit is Renaissance (has been restored. ). A granite font with lion figures. In the porch tombstones for the priests Jens Brasch (+ 1654), and P. Brasch (+ 1683), a lesser stone for the first mentioned and a tombstone from early Middle Ages with cross and foliage.

The klingpung is a purse which was used for collection of money during church service.
 
The yellow house is an old school building. 

There was probably a manor in the parish called Stensgaard, its situation is still traceable in the meadow south of Kousted village, the name Stensgaard is also kept for an old farm in the village.

There is no information about prehistorics in the parish,


source: Runeberg / 1898-1906/ Kongeriget Danmark/ J.Trap/ 3 udg. 4 bd./ Hjørring, Thisted, Aalborg, Viborg , Randers Amter. 

photo: GB

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

Bjergby church, ab. 6 km north of Hjørring. (Google earth)

The highplaced church in Bjergby, which is seen far and wide, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a newer porch to the north. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a plinth, which in the eastern section has a steep, heavy, bevelled edge and to the west a more flat and narrow. Above the bricked-up south door, which was still open in 1637, is a tympanum with a cross-lamb, a human figure and a bird, which in 1729 lay at the church yard and was regarded as a gravestone. The north door is extended, and its tympanum with a dragon figure is inserted above the door of the porch. From original windows are inside kept the large east window of the choir, and in the south wall of the choir are inserted two round arched monolite lintels. High upon the south wall of the nave is an ashlar with a very big, protruding male head, according to tradition is it the master  builder of the church. Inside are beamed ceilings, and the round choir arch is kept. The walls were remade in the 1700s - the choir gable 1772 with iron initials for Christoffer Rougtved and Else J. Seidelin, the west gable 1782 with initials for Pors Munch and Else J. Seidelin. Upon the lead roof of the church was according to a description from 1735 a strange decoration: a gunner with gun, dog, deer and hare, cast in lead. The building was restored in 1950.

Bjergby church, wikipedia

tympanum, wikipedia.

interior, wikipedia.

The ashlar-bricked communion table was until 1950 covered in a rare Romanesque front in oak, which fields copied the front of the golden altars, it is now placed in the choir. The altarpiece contains parts from a young Renaissance altarpiece, but is much remade in 1782 in late acanthus Baroque with very naturalistic angels in the wings. The old large-field, which had a carved crucifix and painted images of Moses and John the Baptist, was replaced in the late 1800s by a copy of a C.Bloch painting. The chalice is from the late 1600s,  stamped by Chr. P. Lam, Sæby. Brass candelabres in late Baroque. A Romanesque granite font with  semicircular basin upon a truncated pyramid foot. Simple pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600 with the coat of arms of Ove Lunge and Anne Sehested. New pews from the last restoration in 1950. The bell hangs in a bell frame upon a gravehill inside the dike of the church yard, it was cast in 1867 by B.S. Løw.

gravestones 1) parish priest Niels Pedersen (+ 1624) and two wives; 2) parish clerk Bertel Pederesen (+ 1705) with wife and daughter.

In the parish is in 1662 mentioned the farms Bachen and Lund.  

Listed prehistorics: 8 hills, of which several are large: Vagthøj at Sakstrup; Fællehøj and Skovhøj at Nymark and a hill at Gammeljord; the bellframe at the church yard stands upon a hill. Furthermore two stone Iron Age graves at Bjergby and Sakstrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 31 hills.      

From a hill at Sakstrup was found a gold ring from early Roman period.
In the parish were several finds ( sacrifice and depots) from Stone Age, like from Sakstrup: 7 thick-necked axes, 4 spear heads and 12 scythes, at Snævre a find with 5 thin-necked axes, and one with 5 scythes and an unfinished spear head. In a moor at Varbrogård was found a big number of clay pots from Celtic Iron Age. Stone graves from early Roman period were found at Bjergby and Hvirrekær.

It was told that one of the first parish priests after the reformation, Peter Vognfører, was accused of witchcraft and burnt upon a hill in Mygdal parish.

Names from the Middle Ages and 1600s:  Bjergby (1343 Byærby); Sakstrup (1419 Saxtorp); S. Ørnbøl (1638 Ønbøll); Krattet (1662 Kratted); Dal (1419 Bierbydal); Pilgård (1662 Pill Gård).

See:
photo-collection Bjergby church 

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

 

      

Torslev church/ Torslev kirke, Øster Han herred, Hjørring amt.

Torslev church, ab. 20 km west of Aalborg, Google earth.

The large Torslev church has a choir and nave from the Romanesque period,  a late Gothic western extension, and tower and two modern additions: porch and burial chapel, to the north. The choir and nave are in granite ashlars above a profiled double plinth. A priest's door upon the north side of the choir was re-opened in 1895; the round arched north door is also kept, while the south door is bricked-up. A tympanum with biblical symbols and a frame stone with a pillar, which ends in a male head, is now at the National Museum. In the nave are two Romanesque windows in use, a south window is bricked-up, and several Romanesque window lintels are inserted in  random places in the walls. ( also in the west wall of the tower. ) The round choir arch has a profiled plinth and kragbånd.

Torslev church, wikipedia

The late medieval building section rests upon a richly profiled granite plinth, which like a cubic pillar base might origin from a Romanesque ashlar tower with a front hall. This tower was broken down in the late Middle Ages, the nave was extended to the west and the present tower was built in re-used ashlars and large yellow monk bricks. At the north side of the tower is a contemporary stairhouse. The upper section of the tower was re-walled in 1841, and the height was minimized with ab. 2 m, the original peepholes are now seen as glares in the roof gables. A point arched opening connects the nave and the tower.  The tower room  has like the western extension an original octagonal vault, and similar vaults are built in choir and nave. The porch (from ab. 1870) and the similar but younger burial chapel and a connected room are in small red bricks. The brickwork of the tower walls is white washed , the other walls are blank. The roofworks are with slate. The floor in the choir is black-yellow tiles, the floor in the nave is yellow bricks and planks.

Interior: 

Torslev church, wikipedia.

The altarpiece was set up in 1634 by Karen Galde of Kokkedal, whose paternal and maternal coat of arms are at the postament, in the altarpiece are used figures from a late Gothic triptychon  from the beginning of the 1500s. The altar chalice was given in 1682 by Gude Parsberg and Karen Krag, and improved in 1728 by Diderik Braës of Kokkedal. The oblate box was given in 1701  fru Ingeborg Cathrine Lugge of Kokkedal; the wine jar by Didr. Braës and fru Ingeborg Seefeld in 1693. Wrought iron altar railings from ab. 1700. A Romanesque granite font. The pulpit is a carved work from the same time as the altarpiece and is like this equipped with figures (apostles) from the Gothic altarpiece.  The pulpit and the altarpiece were restored in 1935 in connection with a repair of the interior. Upon four pew-gables are the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Børge Rosenkrantz and Karen Galde. New chandeliers. An organ in the tower room. Bells: 1) late medieval with minuskel-inscription ; 2)  a new, cast by L.Andersen, Århus. A bell given by Frands Banner in 1570 was in a cracked condition delivered to the National Museum.

Memorials: 
Fru Ingeborg Seefeld let in 1698 the tower room separate from the nave with a wrought iron door and furnish into a family burial; her own sandstone epitaph is set up upon the wall and a marble epitaph for Anders Kierulf of Sødal upon the north wall. Upon the north wall of the nave are two oval limestone tablets, one for the Dean Anders Olsen, (+ 1685), set up 1697 by Dean Jørgen Hansen, another for Maren Nielsdatter (+ 1694), and her two husbands, Rasmus Ottesøn (+ 1646) and Pors Lavissøn (+ 1705). A Romanesque gravestone with the name Thormod and an image of the life-tree is inserted high in the south wall of the nave.  Two large gravestones, upright in the choir ( portrait stones) for Erik Banner of Kokkedal (+ 1483) and his son, rigsmarsk Erik Banner (+ 1554) with his two wives, Mette Rosenkrantz (+ 1533) and Margrethe Gyldenstierne (+ 1554). Upon the church yard several old gravestones along the northern dike.

Kokkedal, wikipedia.

Kokkedal is mentioned the first time in 1407 and was owned by væbner Anders Albretsen (Stenbrikke), probably his father Albret Andersen (Stenbrikke)(+ earliest 1386) and even his paternal grandfather Anders Aagesen (Stenbrikke) owned it too, but there is no proof of this. Anders Albretsen's son Gotskalk Andersen (Stenbrikke) m. to Kirsten Eriksdatter Gyldenstierne, wrote himself of K. in 1432, likewise their son Niels Godskesen in 1450, who died unmarried. Fru Kirsten (+ earliest 1468) brought thereafter the farm by a new marriage to rigsråd hr Anders Nielsen (Banner)  of Asdal, Frejstrupgård was now probably laid under K. Before hr Ander's death in 1486 the son Erik Andersen Banner, who in 1479 wrote himself of K., died latest 1483, his widow Karen Stensdatter Gøye (+ earliest 1527) m. 2) to hr. Niels Høg of Eskær etc. (+ 1524) who likewise wrote himself of K. in 1479. At hr Ander's death in 1486 his daughter Anne Andersdatter Banner (+ latest 1490) renounced her right in K. in favor of her brother's children of whom the later rigsråd  and rigsmarsk Erik Eriksen Banner of Asdal etc. became the sole owner of K. He let build new main buildings (Christian III visited K. in 1546). The farm and estate was at his death in 1554 inherited by his son Frands Banner, who also bought Ø  Kloster ( now Oksholm), after his death in 1575 K. went to his daughter Karen Banner (+ 1616), m. 1580 to Henrik Lykke of Overgård etc. (+ 1611). Later the farm came to their son Frands Lykke (+ 1655), who in 1649 exchanged it to Karen Galde. She married after 1656 the much younger Børge Rosenkrantz of Ørup etc. (+ 1679) , but lived separated from him, she resided at K. where she died in 1671. Farm and estate went to her sister Anne Galde of Nørlund (+ 1680), m. to Verner Frederiksen Parsberg of Vrå. At his death in 1686 his son Gude Parsberg inherited (+ 1692) K., but he sold in 1691 the main farm and taxes and som estate to Palle Rantzau of Bratskov, who died the same year. His widow Ingeborg Seefeld married -  the same year - justitsråd Diderik Chr. Braës, she died already in 1695, he died in 1748, when K. came to his son (of 2 marriage to Ingeborg Cathrine Lugge) Peder Enevold Braës, enobled 1733, (+ 1771).

Later owners: Lars Johan Jelstrup, Christen Hviid, Jacob Ludvig v. Fischer-Benzon, 1818 entailed estate Kokkedal - Morten Leth Hastrup, Adolf Hein, Hans Chr. Øckenholt, Peter Schrøder, Rudolf Bruun, Jørgen Chr. Julius Vilh Bruun, S.P.Sørensen -  konsortium -  owner from 1917-1923 prince Erik, V.A. Boyer, N. Th C. Isager, Elisabeth Isager, 1952 the State : foundation of a boys' home.

After 1960: 1948-1976) Socialministeriet; (1976-1988) Nordjyllands Amt, (1988-) Ann Vibeke Lokdam / Gorm Lokdam

Kokkedal Slot  today: (from wikipedia and Magasin Søndag May 2013).
High upon a hill lies Kokkedal slot with a beautiful view across the Limfjord. It is whitewashed, with a red tiled roof and a tower with a copper spire -and surrounded by moats. The buildings were very dilapidated when the married couple Ann Vibeke and Gorm Lokdam bought the estate in 1988, but today Kokkedal is included in their chain of castle hotels. At Kokkedal are 20 individually furnished suites with fourposter beds and 8 holiday houses in the park. The menu in the restaurant is inspired by the authentic slotskøkken and the local commodities of the season. The beefsteaks come from Kokkedal's own Angus cattle and the hunting system delivers the game 


In the Frejstrupmarken southwest of Kokkedal was Frejstrupgård situated (1491 Frystrup, 1638 Frestrup). According to legendary notes in Sophie Brah'es family book F. belonged to a Niels Torstensen (Rotfeld), who possibly is identical with another Niels Torstensen, who was historically attested in 1324 in another connection.  During the peasant revolt in 1441 F. was burnt down and the owner Niels Ovesen was killed, the land was later laid under Kokkedal. The informations in HofmanFund IV 1759. 374 about F.'s owners are unhistorical.

The site of Frejstrupgård is seen as a low bank southwest of Kokkedal in the Frejstrupdalen (a valley). Upon the bank, which never seems to have been surrounded by moats, have been found bricks.

Alsbjerggård was already in the 1300s a noble farm to which Niels Jensen (Seeefeld)( ? ) 1371-1401 wrote himself. His daughter Karen Nielsdatter (Seefeld), widow after Vogn Jepsen (Vognsen of Stenshede)( + latest 1450 )owned the farm in 1450. In 1456-1463 Laurids Dan (Dansøn) wrote hiself of A. Svend Saxstrup owned A in 1470 (or a part of A.), but in the end of the 1400s Karen Lauridsdatter Dan and her husband Jep Jensen (Skovgaard) must have owned a part of the farm, which from them came to their son Jørgen Jepsen Skovgaard of Skovgaard (Brusk herred )(+ 1557). 
Later owners: Hans Skovgaard, Johan Skovgaard, Henrik Lykke, Frands Lykke, Karen Galde. In 1585 ( or in 1539) Alsbjerggård was divided into 4 farms.

In the middle of Alsbjerg village is a disturbed site of the old Alsbjerggård, an irregular place surrounded by lowerings. Some monk bricks were found on the site. Some graves are mentioned in the late 1800s.

According to an unprovable tradition was a nunnery at Torslev church in the Middle Ages, Styvels kloster, where the nuns in ab. 1520 were moved to Ø kloster. Late local legends mention also a monastery with an underground connection to Ø kloster. - The name Styvel ("Styvelet" was later used about a hospital for poor people,which was established in 1740 by Diderik Chr. Braës.  It is certain that southeast of the church hill and south of the church were several old brick buildings.

Torslev Holme (Overholm and Nederholm) was from the old days a common meadow for the old farms in Torslev, Årup and Flegum and the farm Haven, but with specific parts for each farm. After 1 August the grazing rights belonged to the farms in Vesterby in common. After the building of the dam Attrup-Øland the old community stopped.  (1927)
 
Listed prehistorics: At Alsbjerg the passage grave Hvisselhøj which is unique. It has 3 chambers, one behind the other and all connected by door openings. An entrance leads to the outernest and longest chamber. In the passage grave were found several flint axes, flint daggers, clay pots and amber pearls. Furthermore is listed a longhill and 36 hills, mainly in the western section of the parish, several are rather large, like Uglehøj at Alsbjerg and at Årupgård are two large, one lesser hill and a longhill, the only left from a group of 12. 
Demolished or destroyed: 42 hills, almost all upon the hillside in the middle part of the parish. In one were found a woman's grave from early Bronze Age with pieces of cloth and a belt plate.

In Arup kær was found a depot from *Dolktid with 2 flint daggers and 12 scythes.

*Dolktid = 2.300-1.700 B.C.

Names from the Middle Ages: Torslev (1307 Torslef, 1447 Torsleff, Thorsleff); Attrup (1462 Attrup); Alsbjerg (1371 Alsbergh); Flegum (1584 Fligum, 1585 Flegom); Årup (1418 Aarthorp, Ordrup); Kokkedal (1407 Kockedal) Haven (1560 Havgen). 

Source: Trap Danmark, Hjørring amt, 1960.     

     





  

Hjerk church/ Hjerk kirke, Harre herred, Viborg amt.

Hjerk church, about 16 km northwest of Skive.

 
 Hjerk parish, Harre herred, Viborg amt.
  
The church in Hjerk has a choir and a nave, a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The choir and nave are from the Romanesque period in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. Upon the north side are kept to bricked-up windows and traces of a third. The north door with a cross-decorated tympanum is bricked-up.  The southside has been rebuilt, but the south door is kept. The very tall Romanesque choir arch has profiled kragsten. The choir and nave have a beamed ceiling. The tower and the porch are late Gothic addititions, both mostly in ashlars, which might origin either from a Romanesque tower or from one of the demolished churches of the district. Several ashlars -many curved - lies on the church yard. The upper section of the tower with gables north-south, is in monk bricks. The tower room has a cross vault and opens towards the nave in a round arch. The partly whitewashed church is roofed with lead. A restoration took place in 1953-54. In the tower room were found frescoes, among others two large pictures of saints (Sct. Jørgen =Georg and Sct. Morten = Martin). They are from the period close to the reformation.

The bricked communion table is surrounded by a panel from the late 1500s. The altarpiece is in Renaissance with two carved coat of arms for Jacob Høeg of Trudsholm (he was vasal at Skivehus 1596-1602) and wife Lisbeth Sehested. The altarpiece - which mid field has a painting - is restored with new decorations in 1954. An altar picture from ab. 1850 hangs now in the tower room (1962). Altar chalice from 1691 with the stamp of royal silversmith Marcus Resenhof and the coat of arms of  Wilhelm Marselius baron of Gyldenkrone. Altar candelabres from the first half of the 1600s. A Romanesque granite font with many close placed round sticks upon the basin. Upon the loft a very destroyed late Gothic crucifix. A Renaissance pulpit with a decoration from 1954. New, closed pews. Bell from 1507, cast by Peder Hansen in Flensborg with inscription. Below the choir was a burial. A Romanesque gravestone with two cross lies in front of the door of the porch.

 


















News from Hjerk church: 
There was a restoration of the church in 1999 where the colours in the church benches were attuned to the special 1770s-painting in the altarpiece. The porch was restored and here are exhibitions each year by local artists. Hjerk church and parish have some very good websites which are easy to find. They tell stories from the parish  (in Danish) and show pictures of from the exhibitions. (source: the parish)  


Bajlumgård was in 1524 owned by Niels Høeg (Banner) of Eskær. In 1594 Steen Brahe exchanged the half of B. to Ludvig Munk and Erik Lykke. The last mentioned's daughter Johanne Lykke (+ 1635) owned it in 1623, but in 1637 Gunde Rostrup sold B. to Jørgen Høeg (Banner) of Todbøl (+ 1656), in 1663 it was owned by Erik Blik of Holmgård, who in 1664 deeded it to Andreas Rhode, whose brother Rudolph Rhode in the 1670s resided here. It came later to their sister's son-in-law High Court Judge Christoffer Bartholin (+ 1714); in 1688 B. is mentioned as "a poorly place and not quite close to being a farm", in 1689-91 it was leased to Chr. Gjedde of Skivehus; Chr. Bartholin complemented the farm in 1700, and his heirs sold it 1727 to their brother-in-law captain Peter Fürst (+ 1732), whereeafter it the same year was sold to his brother-in-law Selio Müller of Lønborggård, who in 1740 sold it to Peder Panderup. He sold it in 1744 to Niels Bang, who 1755 sold it without estate to Niels Stefansen Tang (+ 1789), whose son Stefan Tang owned it till his death in 1827. In an auction after him it was bought in 1830 by Chr. Gjørup in Skive, but in 1836 it belonged to Jens Nielsen Ladefoged  - in 1841 to his son Jens Tang (+ 1865), then to his son Christian Tang (+ 1904), whose son Niels Tang in 1909 sold B. to a consortium, which in 1911 sold it to Peter Hansen Knudsen, whose son Henning Knudsen took it over in 1959.

Vium mølle (mill) was by hr. Niels Nielsen in 1400 deeded to Stig Munk.   

Listed prehistorics: 6 hills among, those Store Tophøj east of Bajlum and a hill southwest of the church, both large.
Demolished or destroyed: 35 hills.

 In Hjerk nor (nor = land tongue) was found an important settlement from the Ertebølle culture and a kitchen midden in the edge of the beach.

Names from the Middle Ages: Over Hjerk (1375 Hernick, 1488 Hyerk, 1494 Offuerhierck); Neder Hjerk (1494 Neyræhierck); Vium (1400 Vyvm); Bajlum (1420 Bodum, 1474 Balum, 1546 Baylom); Gedeløkke (1546 Giedeløche); Bajlumgård (1524 Balom(m)gardt); Viumgård (1500s Wium gard); Vium vandmølle (1463 Viiummøll).


Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: borrowed from Google earth 2013, gb

Dalbyneder church/Dalbyneder kirke, Randers amt

Dalbyneder church, ab. 12 km east of Mariager.

Dalbyneder, Gjerlev herred, Randers amt. 
The church in Dalbyneder has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic west tower and a neo Romanesque porch to the south. The Romanesque building is built in granite ashlars and has a bevel-plinth. Both doors are kept, the low south door is bricked  up, while the north door, which is in use, has a tympanum with a strange plaited cross with two lions. In the east wall of the choir, in its north wall and in the north wall of the nave are bricked up round-arched windows. The choir arch is sligthtly curved, this change was probably made at the same time as the choir had one and the nave two eight-ribbed vaults. The tower is built in granite ashlars and monk bricks. The bottom room with two equivalent cross vaults opens to the nave in a pointed arch. Its gables (north-south) have three highglares. The high porch, with bricked wall benches inside, has a step gable with five highglares flanked by circular glares.

In the cross vault were late Gothic frescoes from ab. 1500s brought to light in 1914. 

The altar piece contains parts of an early Renaissance altar piece with a fine carved grotesque decoration. Candelabres from the 1700s in sheet brass. A strange Romanesque granite font, its very small basin stands upon a foot looking like an upside down font with sepals, like the font in Vindblæs church.  A smooth brass dish with engraved initials EID. A pulpit in early Renaissance with coat of arms of Jørgen Lykke (+ 1583) and Beate Brahe. Upon the pews coat of arms of Otte Krumpen of Trudsholm (+ 1569), his second wife Anne Lykke and her first husband Anders Bille. Series pastorum from 1724 and 1764 for the priests in Udbyneder, Dalbyneder, Gjerlev and Vindblæs. In the church two small priest-paintings from 1700s. In the porch a holy water container in granite.

Epitaph in storbarok (great Baroque) for manager at Demstrup Otto Galthen (+ 1733); Ellen G. (+ 1735) and Peder G. (+ 1731). Under the choir burials for a parish priest Johs Jensen (+ 1655) and wife. Their pretty gravestone is inserted in the choir wall.

The væbner Jes Pele the Elder in Binderup is mentioned 1416. It is possible that the noble family Benderup origins from this village.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 6, now demolished hills, among them the high-placed Møgelhøj south southwest of Dalbyneder.     

At Dalbyneder were several claypot graves from early Roman Iron Age.


Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963

foto Dalbyneder 2004: grethe bachmann

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.

Skibet church/Skibet kirke and Haraldskær, Vejle amt.

Skibet church 2007

Skibet church 2003

The whitewashed church in Skibet has a Romanesque choir and nave with a probably late Gothic western extension, a sacristy at the north side of the choir and a porch to the south. The Romanesque building is in travertine  without any visible plinth. The extended south door is in use, while the round-arched north door is bricked-up. A tympanum, which probably origins from the south door, is excellent designed. It is a flat relief of a lion eating a hare, it is inserted in the bottom of the west gable.

tympanum inserted in wall

Several Romanesque windows have been preserved and partly re-opened, in the choir one to the east and one to the north, in the nave two to the north and one to the south. The round choir arch inside is preserved. The nave has after a restoration in 1951-52 again a beamed ceiling instead of a barrel vault, probably from the 1700s. A cross vault was inserted in the choir in the late Gothic period, and at the north side was built a cross vaulted sacristy, which was later cut down into a half-roof building, which to the east has a window in a point-arched frame. At the same time the nave was extended to the west, but the whole building is so whitewashed that it is not possible to decide  something accurate. A bricked-up point-arched window in the south wall of the nave is probably from the same period like the cernel in the wallwork of the porch. The look of the building is marked by a rebuild in the middle of the 1700s.
 

Skibet church

the horsemen frieze

the horsemen frieze

The building had a restoration in 1951-52. At this occassion were several frescoes found from various periods. Upon the eastern wall of the nave are late Romanesque frescoes, in the round-arched fields are horsemen, in the north window of the choir a foliage from the same time, in the choir vault are late Gothic leaf decorations and a prism decoration around the sacristy door in grey and black. Upon the eastern part of the north wall in the nave and south of the choir arch are undecidable paintings, and in the south side's Gothic window a female saint with a sword. The frescoes were restored in 1954 by E Lind.

See article on Thyra-blog about the frescoes in Skibet church: The Legend of the Grail  

A new or heavily restored communion table in travertine. The altar decoration from 1952 is a wooden cross with a lam in the crown of thorns. The front of the communion table is from 1550. Late Gothic, softly profiled ore candelabres. A Romanesque granite font with lions and leaf decoration of the Sjørslev type, on the foot are bear-heads. A small south German dish ab. 1575 soldered into a large brass dish.Pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600, with Tuscany corner pillars, rectangular fields and cornices and modern greyish decoration. In the nave two chandeliers, one given by Chr. Linde and wife in 1755, the other by parish bailiff J.P.Sørensen. A threemaster ship-model "Håbet" of newer date. A large painting signed S. Viggo Pedersen 1932. An iron bound door wing 1664 with parish priest Jakob Svendsen's name is now at the National Museum. A bell of cast iron from Bochum in a bell-frame east of the church .

prism decoration above door.

Haraldskær 2007

Haraldskær belonged 1434-48 to Niels Friis, who is said to own H. via his wife Ellen Moltke.  It belonged later to the son hr. Anders Friis (+ ab. 1510), in 1543 the widow Bodil Steenfeld, then the son Iver Friis (+ 1557) and his son rigsråd Albert Friis  (+ 1601). His daughter Karen Friis (+ 1635) married Truid Bryske ( + 1653) who was written of H. until 1621, but at this time his economy broke down, and in 1622 his sister-in- law Lisbeth Friis made an attempt to buy H. "since it was a pretty farm and it had always been her parents' farm". However the Danish Rigsråd judged the farm to belong to her guardian,  the brother-in-law Frederik Munk (Lange), who at the same time came to be liable for another sister, Anne Friis' big debt, and he also ended up with big economic difficulties. Already before his death in 1637 his son Jørgen Munk (Lange) wrote himself of the farm, but he had a feud with his father, and in 1637 the mother Sofie Friis complained to the king about "that he had completely taken over the mentioned farm and estate" and "he had abused her with many improper words". Sofie Friis tried to keep the farm together and bought in 1651 a part from her daughter's son-in-law Claus Sparre. At her death 1655 H. was however divided among several persons. Jørgen Munk had  - because of debt - to give his part to Vincents Bille, who 1616 sold it to Manderup Abildgaard, whose wife Hedvig Arenfeldt the same year bought Jørgen Munk's sister Sofie's 1/6 of the farm. Another sister, Anne Munk, deeded in 1677 the biggest part of H. with 6 farms and houses to colonel Konrad v. d. Brincken of Fårup (+ 1696); the son Godske v. d. Brincken (+ 1730) outbought his siblings from H  (+ 1730), and at an auction after him in 1731 it was sold to major Pierre d'Andischon, who established same factories here. At an auction after him in 1751 H. was bought  by Gerhard de Lichtenberg, who in 1754 deeded Engelsholm, Kjeldkær and H. to his son-in-law Christen Linde, who 1767 sold the 3 farms to his brother-in-law Hans Henrik de Lichtenberg of Bidstrup.

Later owners: Ove Bernhardt v. Lüttichau, Henrik Schmith, Severin Laurentius Lautrup, Johannes Ditlev Rahr, Nicolaj Nyholm, August Theodor Schütte, Danqvart Neergaard, Oluf Henrik de Bang, Hjalmar de Bang, C.M. Hess. 1962  brothers C. and M.Hess. 

The main building is listed in class A.

see article about Haraldskær on this blog:  Haraldskær 

farm building Haraldskær

Kølholt belonged in 1485 to hr. Anders Friis of Haraldskær, in 1622 to his great-grandchild Lisbeth Albertsdatter Friis, who got the king's allowance to give the farm for life to her sister Karen Friis. In 1662 it was a farm under Lerbæk, but before 1697 Nicolaj Nissen of Rugballegård sold it to Søren Joensen, he rebought it in 1704, but in 1718 Søren Joensen's widow Sophie Amalie Bojsen deeded it to baron Christian Gyldenkrone of Vilhelmsborg, who in 1730 sold K. with property to the Crown. Since Sophie Amalie Bojsen had reserved the repurchase, the king had to renounce it in 1733 to her son Nicolaj Joensen. The Crown had now purchase on it and could in 1738 at an auction sell it to Gerhard de Lichtenberg, who 1748 sold it to Niels Thomsen (+ 1763).
Later owners: Chr. Hansen from Århus, Ernst Braat, Jes Hansen af Skølvad, Mads Joh. Buch, J.G. Schwartz, P.U.F. Schiøtt, Chr. Hansted, P.I.W. Schandorff, C.J.Linde, Luplau, P. Lorenzen, Schlesinger, Mar. Andersen, S. Jacobsen, grev Helge Ernst Knuth, N. Jørgensen, C.J. Fynbo, Lottrup, owner in 1962: S.A. Petersen.
 The main building is a pretty small halftimbered building from the beginning of the 1700s.   

Niels Friis of Haraldskær wrote himself in 1432 of Skibet. Anne Munk, later of Haraldskær wrote herself 1651 of Knabberup, in 1687 fru Birgitte Arenfeldt deeded her farm K. to Conrad v. d. Brincken of Haraldskær.     
Kærsgård belonged in 1469 to Lars Jonsen (Panter) (+ 1340) and was probably later under Kjeldkær where the part-owners hr Joachim Hardenberg (1469) Claus Bryske (1483 and 1485) and Ebbe Strangesen (1500) owned K. Later it belonged to Niels Friis of Haraldskær (+ 1557).

Vejle Å (river) at Haraldskær

Vejle å ( the river) was earlier navigable all the way up to Skibet where it is said there was a harbour for small  vessels. 

A sacred spring Haraldskær Kilde was situated between the main manor and the factory close to the river.

At Trædballe, close to the border of Vejle city, was once a castle bank, probably origining from the above mentioned Kærsgaard. In the priest report from 1638 a locality "Rodzkier" is mentioned, later called Borgvold. Sofiesminde skov (forest) west of Borgvold has also the earlier name Kærsgaards skov. The castle bank was demolished at the building of the railway, which is now closed. A suburb of Vejle has spread across the castle bank and there are no visible traces.

In the priest report of 1638 the castle bank Boeldal in Vilstrup skov (forest) is mentioned. The place is called Bommerhave in Pont. Atlas "Bommergaard". The place is shown in the northern edge of Vilstrup skov south of Gulgaard. There are no traces of fortifications, the castle bank might have been destroyed by clay-digging, but there are monk bricks at the spot.

The farm-building Ravnsbøl, which is mentioned under Haraldskær, was established from a disappeared village Ravnsbøl (1485 Rawenssbøl), which land in the 1600s were laid under Haraldskær. At Haraldskær was also a farm Glasbjerg (1513 Glarberig, 1664 Glaszbierg), which consisted of two bol (small farms). They were laid under Haraldskær in 1744 and the buildings were broken down. A farm Hyllund is also mentioned in the parish in the year 1683.


Listed prehistorics: a large but somewwhat down-digged hill Haraldshøj west of Jennum.
Demolished or destroyed: a passage grave at Haraldskær mark (field) and a hill at Jennum. In priest reports from 1638 are mentioned round dolmens at Knabberup mark, east of Haraldskær and north of Skibet church, but their place is not known.

In a moor at Haraldskær was in 1835 found a bog mummy of a woman with hairnet and leather cape. There was at that time an opinion that this was the Norwegian queen Gunhild, but today's examinations have proved the age. The bog mummy  is from  490 BC = in the beginning of Iron Age. She is now at a museum. Upon Holmen in the river valley was a settlement from Stone Age.


Names from the Middle Ages and the 1600s:
Skibet (ab. 1330 Skipwith); Jennum (1478 Jennwm, 1480 Jenum); Knabberup (1488 Knabdrup, 1502 Knabdrvp); Trædballe (1664 Thredballehuus); Slelde (1475 Slælllæ, Slælle, 1552 Slelde); Nørre Vilstrup (1459 Wilstorp, 1524 Wilstorp thet Nørre); Rue (1452 Rweholm, 1664 Rue); Haraldskær (1434 Harildkerr, 1448 Harilsker); Kvakmølle (1664 Quach Mølle), Neder Knabberupgård (1664 Neder Knaberup); Over Knabberupgård, (1664 Offuer Knaberup); Kølholt (1485 Kiølholdt); Østengård (1502 Østengaard.)


Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.  

photo 2003/2007/2008/2009: grethe bachmann

Øster Nykirke church/ Øster Nykirke kirke, Nørvang herred, Vejle amt.

The large church Øster Nykirke, consegrated to Sct. Peder, has a Romanesque choir and nave with a late Gothic tower to the west and a porch from the second half of the 1800s to the south. The Romanesque section is built in partly very large granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. The south door is in use; it has two free pillars and a tympanum with half figures of Christ between Petrus and Paulus, influenced by Ribe. The north door, with a low roof-shaped lintel, is bricked. The choir has to the north one, and the nave three round arch-windows.   The choir arch stands inside with profiled kragsten, and the nave has kept its beamed ceiling, while the choir in the late Gothic period had a cross vault. The late Gothic tower is built in monk bricks and re-used ashlars, of which one has a very simple relief of a lion. the tower room opens to the nave in a round arch; it has cross vault upon heavy, point-arched  skjoldbuer ( "shield curves"). A flat-curved door in a pointed mirror on the north side leads to the stairs. The upper section of the tower is re-walled and made lower. It has smooth gables east-west. At the east end of the south wall of the nave is a large bricked curve, which once lead out to a chapel, demolished in 1769; under the chapel was a burial for the family Juel. The porch in small bred bricks is from the second half of the 1800s, since also the choir gable was re-walled with small bricks.


In the choir and the north wall of the nave were found fragmentary frescoes from the reformation period, they were covered again. The communion table, which is bricked in travertine, is covered in a Renaissance panel  from the beginning of the 1600s with portal fields and pilasters. The altarpiece is a large carving in late Renaissance from ab. 1635, with figures from the Holy Communion in the big field, flanked by four Corinthic pillars and Evangelist figures. In the top field reliefs of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. It was together with the pulpit restored in 1921. A chalice from 1656 with the coat of arms of Juel and Ulfstand. Very heavy, baluster-shaped Baroque candelabres. A Romanesque granite font with arcade-row, under which are interesting figures: birds, animals and two fighting warriors.A smooth brass dish from the 1700s. A pulpit in late Renaissance, probably contemporary to the altarpiece and by the same master carver. In the parish clerk stool are rests of pews with the year 1576 and the paternal and maternal coat of arms of Anne Skram. Unusually beautifully cast bell from 1438, consegrated to Sct. Peder, cast by master Peder from Randers.

the church behind the village

Alsted belonged in 1434 and 1459 to Albrecht Barfod (Barfus) and in 1490-1508 to Enevold Jensen (Rafvad), whose son-in-law Peder Skram wrote himself of A. in 1512;  the farm belonged after him to his son-in-law Jens Juel (+ 1563) then to his son Peder Juel (+ 1604), in 1605 to his son Gregers Juel (probably + 1611); in 1612 his brother Erik Juel (+ 1657); the sister Lene Juel owned in 1632 the half of A. and had the same year the king's permission to buy her sister Maren Juel's part in the farm; in 1649 she pawned it to her brother Erik Juel and died unmarried in 1655.
Other owners: Axel Sehested of Stovgård, J.L. v. Müllen of Daugård: outparcelling, main estate to: Poul Glud Langballe of Stovgård,  Jørgen Thomsen, Hans Fønss, J.H Langermann, Jørgen Jørgensen, Carl Frederik Becker of Tirsbæk, Thomas Peter Sabroe, his son and son's son. 1938: G Gerstrøm, 1953 his son E. Gerstrøm.


Upon a bank outside the church yard lies the holy Sct. Peder spring, which is now automated and giving water to the church yard and to the house of the church warden. A Helgenæs spring is also mentioned  a little further away.

Margrethediget

From Nr. Tinnet stretches to the west and across a valley area a now 250 m long (originally double as long) and about 1,5 m high earth bank, called Margrethediget or  Margrethevolden with a moat in front. The broadth of moat and bank is ab. 10 m. The plan must be considered as a road block and nothing is known about its age.

One of the most beautiful sections of Hærvejen passes this parish, Exactly here at the road which is listed together with its surroundings, are the springs of the river Gudenå and Skjernå.

Listed prehistorics: 20 hills, of which 5 are rather large, like two at Nr. Tinnet, Ravnshøj at Oksenbjerg and Skægbjerghøj in Sdr. Kollemorten.
Demolished or destroyed: 248 hills.  

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964

photo 2009: grethe bachmann