Øster Velling church/ Øster Velling kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Øster Velling church, ab. 10 km west of Randers.

Øster Velling parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt. 

The church without a tower in Øster Velling has a choir and nave and a new porch on the nort side. The older sections: the choir and nave origin from the Romanesque period, built in granite ashlars upon a bevelled plinth, but the church was in 1875 rebuilt because of dilapidation, but with use of old material -  and inaugurated 2 january 1876. The porch seems also to have been renewed in 1875, it was rebuilt again in 1940. The three Romanesque windows of the north side are undoubtedly of Romanesque origin, but extended in the lighting. The north door with old kragsten is still in use, but partly renewed.

The inside of the church got its new look in 1875; it has a beamed ceiling, while the choir was remade again in 1940-41, when a new brickfloor was laid. The altar section is from this last restoration with a table of yellow bricks and above this a crucifix group, made by J.Th. Skovgaard. The former altar decoration, a crucifix from 1875, hangs upon the wall. Three Gothic Saint-figures in wood, found at the loft of the porch, was sent to the National Museum in 1940. A Romanesque granite font with male heads and foliage. The strange square-sided pulpit with winding columns and double fields with sawn balusters is in Renaissance from ab. 1600. In front of this an old parish clerk stool with carved year 1588. The bell without inscription in a hole in the gable, is from early Middle Ages. In the west wall of the nave is inserted a gravestone for Søren Pedersen Velling (+ 1624). In the north wall of the choir a stone for parish priest H.M.Berg. (+ 1787) .

At the rebuild of the church was found a piece of a runestone, now in the National Museum, the only left of the inscription is " -- Thorg-- ".


 
















Øster Velling birk: (judicial)  the king had already in Valdemars Jordebog considerable estate in "Wæling". Later it became a special vasalry, which by queen Margrethe I was leased to Stig Andersen (this must be Stig Andersen Hvide). Around 1500 Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz was the vasal, after him his son-in-law Predbjørn Podebusk. 5 September 1569 Ø.Velling birk was deeded to Erik Podebusk, it consisted of 13 farms in Øster Velling, Velling Mølle, Torup and Madegård. If Erik Podebusk died without heirs, his wife must keep the vasalry for life, whereafter it again had to go to the Crown. Since the married couple had no children, the king took over the birk. Ab. 1680 the Thing was held at Helstrup mark (field) by the road to Randers. 

 
Listed prehistorics: 7 hills and two petroglyph-stones which were found in the demolished Mandbjerghøj close to Velling Vandmølle (water mill), one stone has several small circles of which some are rewritten with ovals.
Demolished or destroyed: 20 hills, Mandbjerghøj contained a grave from early Bronze Age with sword and belt with gold plate. 


Names in the Middle Ages: Øster Velling (1231 Wæling, 1355 Østerwælyngh).




Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.

photo: borrowed from Google earth 2013, gb.

Lee church, Lee kirke, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt.

Lee church, ab. 12 km east of Viborg.

Lee parish, Middelsom herred, Viborg amt. 


Lee church has a choir, nave and a new tower to the west and at the north side a porch, which was rebuilt into a burial chapel. The kernel is choir and nave in Romanesque ashlars upon a bevelled plinth. The wall work seems rebuilt in present period, especially at the south side, where each trace from a portal has been wiped out. The choir gable is rebuilt into timber, upon the north side are three Romanesque windows, all extended in the lighting. The simple north door, which was used as entrance until 1932, is bricked-up, but is seen as a niche in- and outside. At the restoration of the church in 1932 the high white washed tower was built and the porch from 1858 was rebuilt into a burial chapel.

The church has beamed ceilings inside, and the choir arch has been kept. The large broad altarpiece is a Baroque carving from 1734, acc  to versified inscription Christen Skeel's widow, Augusta Vinterfelt let this year both altarpiece and pulpit renew, while herredsfoged (district bailiff) Peder Høeg let them decorate, in the middle field a big last supper painting, in the top piece Gethsemane, both paintings contemporary with the carvings. A Romanesque granite font. The pulpit from 1734 has in the fields half-length portraits of the Evangelists and the Saviour. Upon the wall a large Baroque epitaph for Anne Cathrine Lassen (+ 1736) and the above mentioned P. Høeg, (+ 1753) in wood, marbled, decorated and gilt. In the tower a medieval and very old bell without inscription. The church was restored again in 1949.  

Himmestrup belonged to Lange Jens Hvas of Ormstrup, whose widow Johanne Hansdatter of Vindum and son Erik Hvas 1511 transferred it to High Court Judge Niels Clementsen of Aunsbjerg. After this it was owned by Peder Ebbesen Galt of Palsgård (+ 1548), his son-in-law Erik Kaas (Sparre-Kaas) of Lindbjerg (+ 1578), his widow Kirsten Pedersdatter Galt (+ 1616) and their son rigsråd hr. Mogens Kaas of Støvringgård (+ 1656), who is the real founder of the main farm. After his daughter Mette Kaas' death 1695 the heirs sold on auction H. to Benedicte Margrete Brockdorff, widow after Jøgen Skeel of Gl. Estrup. The son grev Christen Scheel (+ 1731) and his son grev Jørgen Scheel (+ 1786) owned it, but sold in 1749 H. and Viskum to Hans Christensen Juul (+ 1769), whose heirs in 1770 deeded H. to their brother and brother-in-law kancelliråd Christen Juul of Viskum, who in 1787 sold it and Viskum to his son Hans Juul, who in 1795 had royal confirmation to sell the estate withlout loss of the hovedgårdsfrihed (main farm freedom) and the outparcelling, whereeafter he sold it in 1801 to birkedommer, kancelliråd Christen Hedegård (+ 1816).
Later owners: Margrethe Sehested; Elisabeth Birg. Preetzmann; Theodor Hermann Rendtorff; Jens Laursen; Anders Jensen; P. Rasmussen; Th. Thomsen; Chr. From in 1933.

A manor Restrup or Rejstrup supposedly was placed at Rejstrup Gaardsted, a hillside out into a valley at Krogstederne. The appointed place has no special traces after a farm site or trace from any fortification.  

Listed prehistorics: at Fruegårde two long dolmens close to each other: one Jyndovnen has a chamber with a cover stone. 10 hills, of which one at Himmestrup is rather large.
Demolished or destroyed: 50 hills. Southwest of Lee was a pretty group Mangehøje, 10 hills, of which only 3 are kept. Besides seem to have been a couple of stone graves close to the listed long dolmens.

A runestone found downside the church hill was brought to Copenhagen, where it was lost in the fire in1728. The only left from inscription was "...dor...rejste denne sten efter ..." ("...dor-... raised this stone after...").

Names in  the Middle Ages  and 1600s: Lee (1449 Leedh, 1463 Lee); Nørre Tulstrup (1490 Tulstrvp); Krog (1411 Kraagsgaard); Knebberhede (1683 Kneberheede, Kneber Heede Huus, Kneber Husit); Koldbæk (1453 Kolbecks Møllestedt, 1664 Koldbech); Himmestrup (1490 Hemestrvp); Hedemølle (1664 Heede Mølle); Skærriskrog (1683 Skeris Krog); Kirkeskovgård (1683 Kirche Skou Krog; Ovenskovgård (1683 Owerskou); Vesterkrog (1683 Westerkrog Skouhuus) ; Restrup krog (1664 Reistrup Krog); Lille Torsager (1683 Lille Torsz Ager, Lille Tors Ager Huusz); Dunkø (1683 Donckøe, Dunckøe Huus.)  



Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962.


photo: borrowed from Google earth, 2013, gb

News Lee church.
The old church bell is from the 1100s. The church has got a new bell which was inaugurated 27 June 2004. The bells hangs next to each other. The new bell takes care of the daily ringing by help of eletronics, while the old bell is only used for services. The National Museum does not allow the old bell to be used too much.

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

The small church in  Hornum has a Romanesque choir and nave with a western extension and a porch at the southside from the 1500s. The Romanesque building is in raw and cleaved granite boulder with corner ashlars, but the walls have been much remade in the 20th century. On the northside are original sections which rest upon a profiled plinth. The western extension, which possibly once had a tower, is built in monk bricks like the east gable, which has a simple round arched glare. The whole west gable is built in small bricks with an edge-cornice like the east gable, and the south side is remade. The choir arch is washed inside and undecidable and the choir and nave  have flat plastered ceilings. The porch is mainly built in ashlars, but the gable is new and built in small bricks and is difficult to date.

church was closed , photo taken through window.

The altarpiece is a painting from 1934 in a neo Gothic frame. An earlier altar painting, probably from the 1700s, was in 1933 given back to the church by fru Lilly Willestrup, after having been away from the church for years. Heavy late Gothic ore candelabres which rest upon lion's feet. A Romanesque granite font with a strong leaf garland. Pulpit from 1926 is a simple copy from the common Renaissance type of the district. The bell in the bell-frame is one of the earliest in the country. It is from ab. 1150 and has a horisontal bottom surface.

Borchsminde was established ab. 1800 from a piece of land from Ørumgård. First owner: Niels Borch, later owners: Iver Hansen of Rolsøgård, Ole P. Rønberg, Jørgen Hansen, Lars Chr. Bjerring Holm, Aage Holm,. H. Ryder. The main building is a threewinged plan in yellow Flensborg-bricks. The farm building is a partly halftimbered building.

Hornum, gravehill

South of Gl. Hornumkær was according to a legend a farm Sturlisgård (Storeledsgård?) which place is still known. Here was in 1873 found coins and many little horseshoes, but no trace of wallwork was fpund. The place is now cultivated and there is nothing to see.

Upon a field in Hornumkær (see above) was in 1865 found 71 Hanseatic coins (hulpenninge) and in 1873 was found a broken clay pot with 2317 hulpenninge from the late 1300s and 3 sterlinge.

Listed prehistorics: The large Lådenshøj at the Borchsminde-property

Upon Borchsminde were found several urns from Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages: Hornum (1498 Hornum), Hornumkær (1458 Horumker).   


Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964. 

photo Hornum 2011: grethe bachmann

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

The whitewashed church in Bjerre has a choir and nave from Romanesque period with a late Gothic tower to the west and a later porch to the south. The Romanesque building is in travertine without any visible plinth, and it has not kept special original details. In the late Gothic period was in the choir built one, in the nave three cross vaults and the choir arch was extended. At almost the same time the tower was added withan eight rib-vault in the bottom room and a round tower arch. In the north wall of the tower is a straight-running stairway up to the middle storey. The porch is built in monk bricks but it has no dated details.

The altar piece is a Renaissance structure from ab. 1630 with two pillars. It was decorated in  1741 and repaired in 1939.  The present painting, Christ is healing a sick, was painted by Anker Lund in 1892; an earlier painting, The Crucifixion, hangs above the exit door. Altar chalice from 1774 with names and coat of arms of Hans Helmer Lüttichau and wife. Balustershaped Baroque candelabres, from ab. 1650. The Romanesque granite font has a rather roughly carved basin with large lions and a dragon in flat-relief, divided by trees. The round foot has corner-knots. A South German dish with engraved coat of arms of Walkendorf and Egern-Friis. A sounding board from the beginning of the 1700s, similar to the choir desk, which has naive biblical paintings. Upon the desk stand two late Gothic small-figures of Virgin Mary and Sct Laurentius. A torso of an indefinable crucifix-figure is at Glud Museum. A pulpit in Renaissance, ab. 1630, with Tuscany corner pillars and a contemporary sounding board. An interesting early Gothic bell from ab. 1325-50, without inscription, but with seal imprint, which in the shield shows a murtinde (wall peak) and the word "Nicles...nes". In the porch two very worn out gravestones from the late 1700s with naive Evangelist symbols.

 corner of Bjerre church, building behind is old local prison.

Bjerre, landscape

Names in the Middle Ages:
Sdr. Bjerre (1287 Bierg); Bjerrelide (1479 Lyæ, 1480 Lydhæ).

Bjerregård (1383 Byærghægarth), was in 1383 sold by Anders Mortensen Pæp (Kyrning) to Eskild Falk; in 1399 it was together with a watermill by hr. Barnum Eriksen (Skarsholm-family) pawned to hr. Jens Eskildsen.

Bjerre and Hatting herred's thing house stood upon Bjerre mark (field) in the time of Pontoppidan's Atlas; The execution place was at Bjerrelide.

Pugholm (1511 Pugholm), a disappeared farm, is mentioned in the beginning of the 1500s.     

Bjerre skov.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 4 hills, of which one, Purhøj, was placed upon the top of Bjerrelide.

At Bjerrelide was found a pretty sacrifice from late Bronze Age with a belt plate, a jewelry-box and two broad bracelets -  and a burial site with earth graves from early Roman Iron Age.

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt.1964. 

photo 2004: grethe bachmann

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

The whitewashed church has a Romanesque choir and nave with a modern tower at the south side, which bottom room functions as a porch. The Romanesque section is built in travertine and raw boulder. The north side is almost untouched, but it is supported by six heavy pillars. Inside is the unprofiled round choir arch, while all the south side seems rebuilt in the late Gothic period from the old material, mixed with large amounts of monk bricks, probably contemporary to that a cross vault was built in the choir and two octagonal rib vaults in the nave. From the broad straight-edged doors the south door is in use, while the north door is bricked.The high Gothic west gable has five Gothic glares. A porch, which probably was late Gothic, was removed in 1942, and on its place a tower was built in late Gothic style. All roofs are tiled.

House in Urlev

The altarpiece from 1610 is a joinery in simple high Renaissance with a re-found painting and a decoration from 1757 with the coat of arms and initials of Johannes de Hofman. A later painting, a copy from the 1800s by a Carlo Dolci painting, is kept in the church. Altarchalice from 1710. Late Gothic candelabres with three rings on the shaft.  A small late Gothic crucifix, probably used originally for procession-use. A pretty early Gothic baptismal font, a Gotland limestone work with sepals and a diamond frieze upon a new foot, the old foot stands on the church yard. A smooth dish, probably from the 1700s. The pulpit is a solid carving in Baroque from 1656.  The pews contain parts from 1633, but were re-newed in 1981. A bell from the late 1100s, which has a small engraved consegration-cross with four lesser crosses in the angles.- In the porch under the tower two grave trees. 

Mill between Urlev and Uth.

The væbner Jes Assersen in Urlev is mentioned in 1458; in Spettrup lived in 1484 and 1503 Anders Munk, who had the coat of arms of the family Jernskæg, in 1533 Niels Poulsen (Børialsen).

While digging a ditch in the garden of the sognefoged (parish mayor) in Spettrup were in 1871 found 333 coins from Erik Menved's and Christopher II.'s rule, put down ab. 1325.

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were one dolmen and 3 hills.

Source: Trap Danmark, Vejle amt, 1964.

photo 2008: 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






    

Gylling church / Gylling kirke , Hads herred, Aarhus amt.

The large church in Gylling has a Romanesque choir and nave, a late Gothic porch to the south and a stilted tower from the reformation period to the west. The Romanesque building is in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth, and it has kept both straight edged doors; the south door is in use, while the north door is bricked-up, and a round arched window in the choir gable. The choir arch was extended, probably in the late 1400s, when a crossvault was built in the choir. The nave has a beamed ceiling. In the last half of the 1400s a stately porch was built in two storeys, and the rich and well-proportioned gable points to Jens Iversen Lange's building activity in Århus. The narrow tower has to the west a large open round arch. The tower is probably from the reformation period, or maybe a little later. Two heavy supporting pillars at the choir gable are from recent times. 

the stilted tower

In the choir vault is Jens Iversen Lange's frescoe-painted coat of arms, and a later coat of arms above the choir arch has been referred to Jørgen Barnekow, a vasal at Åkær in 1553-59. The stately altarpiece from 1638 is made by Peder Jensen Kolding. The altar candelabres are from 1655, they are balustershaped, resting upon lion figures, paid and given by Mette Hansdatter. Chasuble from 1726. Behind the altarpiece a relief of the evangelist Johannes with painted year 1645. Altar rails from 1735. A Romanesque granite font in Horsenstype with lions and leaves. A South German baptismal bowl from ab. 1550 with initials and coat of arms of Clauss Gagge and Margrethe Mormann, 1637. A late Gothic choir-arch crucifix, repaired in 1923. A pulpit from 1911, carved by sculptor Rasmus Andersen. A gallery in the west end from 1627. Interesting early Gothic bell from ab. 1300 with majuskel-inscription in Latin: "Fru Cecilia lod mig støbe"( Laurids Trugotsen's daughter, m. to Markvard Rostrup).
In the wall of the porch two Romanesque gravestones, one with the name Helene. Inside the porch two gravestones from the 1600s, one with year of death 1642 above a couple with 13 children ( signed with a hammer and blacksmith's tong and the initials HSGS), and the other a little older, above a couple with ten children. In the choir a gravestone for parish priest Dines Guldberg (+ 1758), Ove Høeg-Guldberg's mother's brother.

Romanesque gravestone in wall of porch.

 In the porch a runestone, which was found in 1839 at a barn in Gylling. The inscription: "Toke Troels' søn rejste denne sten efter - - god - -  og risbiik sin broder". ("Toke Troels' son raised this stone after - - god - - and risbiik his brother.")

The king owned some land in Gylling according to Valdemar's Jordebog. Gylling was among the estate, which Erik Plovpennings daughter's son Erik Valdemarsen got in 1327. At the same time lived hr. Lars Truedsen (Trugotsen) of Gylling. His daughter Cecilie. m. to Markvard Rostrup, let cast the church bell. Their son Godskalk Rostrup owned in 1402 estate in Gylling, in 1404 hr. Jep Kalf conveyed to the Crown his estate in Gylling, which his father hr. Erland Kalf had already sold to the Crown.

Gyllingnæs was among the estate, which hr. Niels Brok in 1330 conveyed to Ring kloster. It was before 1436 by hr. Jep Kalf's widow etc. given to Maribo kloster. In 1578 G. belonged to the Crown, and in 1661 Gylling skov (forest) was laid out to the heirs of Joachim Gersdorff together with Åkær, and it followed this estate until John Smith from Altona bought it in 1801.
Later owners: John Thornton, George Smith, Wilhelm Henrik Fr. Mylord from Holsten, Constantin Brun, A.P.V. Krohn, Chr. Fr. Berg, Frederik Grevenkop-Castenskiold. Owner in 1963: fru E.E. Baner. 

Owners after 1963:
1966-1994: Hermann Zobel, 1994-1996: Peter Zobel, !996 - : Troels Holch Povlsen.

 











Gylling vicarage , built 1720 and 1859, is listed in class B.

Listed prehistorics: a disturbed long dolmen in Gyyllingnæs skov.
Demolished or destroyed: a passage grave, a dolmen, 3 stone cists and 10 hills.

At Horskær is an undersea  Ertebølle-settlement, at Gylling two Iron Age-settlements.

Names in the Middle Ages: Gylling (1231 Gylling); Lerdrup (1402 Leirdrup, 1534 Lerdrup); Gyllingnæs (1330 Gyllenesz, 1438 Gyllingsnes).

Source: Trap Danmark,Århus amt, 1963.

photo Gylling 2003: grethe bachmann

Smollerup church / Smollerup kirke, Fjends herred, Viborg amt.

Smollerup Church, photo: stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Smollerup church has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Gothic additions - a tower to the west and a porch to the south. The Romanesque section is in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth. Both original doors are kept, the southdoor is in use with some high frame stones which support a large heavy tympanum; the north door is bricked-up with a half circular tympanum-field carved above two stone beams. Both doors are straight edged inside. In the north wall of the choir is kept a round arched window, which is in use, and in the south wall of the choir is a bricked-up circular opening: a leprosy window or eventually just a niche. The choir arch has bevel-edged kragsten and plinth stones. Choir and nave have flat beamed ceilings. The late Gothic tower, which narrow cross-vaulted bottom room is connected to the nave in a round tower arch, have small glare-fields along the peep-holes and smooth re-walled gables to the north and south. The southside is face-walled in present time. The porch has probably some Gothic wallwork, but is very rebuilt with red bricks.

Bell from the 1100s

The altarpiece is a fourwinged construction in Renaissance from ab. 1600-25 with a biblical painting in the large field.  Romanesque granite font with a smooth basin upon a cubic foot with claw-corners. A smooth copper bowl, probably from the 1700s. A Renaissance pulpit 1615, very heavily restored. Pews in late Renaissance with the year 1652 and initials M B D I. The bell, which is difficult accessible, is without doubt one of the earliest in the country, probably from the beginning of the 1100s. It has an inscription upon the beehive-shaped bellbody with deep majuskels "hoc vas ex benedic d(eu)s atqve tuere", "this vessel in ore, bless and protect it, God!" In the porch a strange gravestone for Niels Christensen (+ 1679) and Mette Jensdatter  (+ 16..) with coat of arms between a pillar. In the tower a grave-plate for Else Gregersdatter (+ 1642). The main entrance of the church yard was in 1957 re-newed and equipped with a pretty wrought iron gate.

Smollerupgård belonged to Viborg chapter in 1460; in 1468 the chapter exchanged it to the bishop, who had a bailiff there. In 1496 Las Bratze (Saltensee of Linde) dated a letter from S. in 1533 and 1542, which confirmed the bishop's ownership of S., but in 1541-55 Maren Andersdatter is mentioned of S. Maybe S. was among the farms she in 1555 conveyed to Hald manor. In 1664 and later it was under Lundgård. In the 1500s and 1600s S. was usually inhabited by the bailiff of Fjends herred.

Upon Tinghøj was held the judicial thing of Fjends herred, until it in 1688 moved to Kvaldersted.

Listed prehistorics: 17 hills, of which Gramshøj ,which is placed together with 4 other hills west of Smollerup and Råhøj west of the village, are rather large.

Demolished or destroyed: 25 hills.

 

opposite Smollerup church is a piece of land where a battle was fought in the 1400s as far as I know, but I haven't found any material about it - yet. 

Names in the Middle Ages: Smollerup (1392 Smullerup, 1524 Smollervp) Lånum (1392 Languum, 1480 Lanom, 1524 Laanom, Lanom); Øster Børsting (1465 Øster Børsting); Rørgård (1492 Rørgardt).

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt , 1962.

photo March 2010: grethe bachmann & stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Lysgård Church, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt

Lysgård Church, ab. 12 km south of Viborg
Lysgård sogn, Lysgård herred, Viborg amt.

The church is a Romanesque ashlar-building without a tower, it consist of choir and nave and a newer porch to the south. In the very re-walled building are few old details, like the straight-edged south door and the round choir arch with profiled kragbånd. In front of the porch lies a round arched tympanum from the north door and at the western dike of the church yard are three monolit cover stones from round arched windows. All roof gables are re-newed; the choir gable is half-timbered. The porch is white-washed, the rest stands in blank wall with small round arched iron windows from the 1800s; the church has plaster ceilings and tiled roofs.





Walled communion table. A simple altarpiece, probably from 1698 with a new painting. Altar chalice from 1750. Brass altar candelabres, given 1835 by C. Christensen in Neder Testrupgård. A Romanesque granite font with basin upon a square foot with human heads on the corners. South German baptismal bowl ab. 1575, a pewter baptismal jar ab.1600s with a relief on the lid. A small late Gothic crucifix ab. 1475 above the choir arch, with new cross and colours. A pulpit in Renaissance ab. 1600, (similar to Vium church). Neo Gothic pews from the end of the 1800s. A small money box with iron mounting. Late Romanesque church bell from 1200s, with strange relief-medaillons. Several memorial tablets from 1700s and 1800s.


Bindstow, St. St. Blicher Museum.

Upon the large Lyshøj, from which is a magnificent view across the parish, was in 1883 put up a memorial stone in granite for St. St. Blicher, who was priest in Torning-Lysgård 1819-25. A small half-timbered house close to the church is a museum for St. St. Blicher.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Lysgård (* 1452 Lyusgardt); Sjørup (* 1470 Siørup); Bisballe(*1513 Biszballe); Katballe (*1467 Katballe); Knækkeborg (1580 Kneckeborig Lund, 1664 Knecheborg); Over Testrup (* 1513 Testrup, 1546 Offuer Testrvp); Neder Testrup (* 1513 Testrup, 1577 Neder Thestrup); Ballehus (1683 Ballehusz).

Listed prehistorics: 14 hills, of which several are rather large; just north of Lysgård upon the highest point of the parish is the large Lyshøj with the Blicher-monument; other large hills are Rishøj at Over Testrup, 2 hills at Katballe and one northwest of Lysgård.
Demolished or destroyed: 26 hills, a large part of them were in the high area, which goes from Skelhøje down to the group in Havredal plantation; a part of these hills are excavated and contained mainly Stone Age's single graves.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt, 1962


photo Lysgård kirke/Bindstow 2002: grethe bachmann