Gjorslev and Holtug church/ Holtug kirke, Stevns herred, Præstø amt.e, Præstø amt.

Gjorslev, foto: stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

Gjorslev Manor
Gjorslev is situated in the eastern part of Zealand in the Stevns region, 17 km south-east of Køge. It was built ab. 1400 by the Roskildebishop Peder Jensen Lodehat. Some changes were made in the Baroque period and later, but in general it is considered one of the most well-preserved examples of Gothic secular architecture in Denmark. Gjorslev is a unique European building.

The majestic main building rises in a flat east Zealand landscape, surrounded by moats on all four sides. The building material is mostly the limestone from Stevns cliff, mixed with monk bricks. The big Gothic building had originally stepped glare-gables and a tower with arrow slits. The large central tower is seven storeys high.

Gjorslev's plan is unique in European architecture, and it is only found similar in the five-towered church in Kalundborg (Zealand), which has the same basic plan. The base of Gjorslev is shaped like a Latin cross with the heavy tower in the cross-cutting and three short arms to the north, east and west. and a longer south wing. Rebuildings have removed some of Gjorslev's medival touch, and the interior is more marked by the shifting tastes,  although many medieval rests are preserved. This is mostly seen in the cellars, where the cellar in the southern cross arm shows a genuine Gothic architecture. The several halls distinguish themselves with vaults, supported by slender granite pillars. The stair-tower connects the storeys and leads up to the domed hall in the central tower. From the migthy overvaulted hall well-preserved doors lead out to rooms and halls in the cross arms.

Gjorslev, Bredgade, foto: stig bachmann nielsen, naturplan.dk

The park is laid out as a socalled English garden plan in the middle of the 1800s. Among the free-standing trees in the park is usually emphasized the oldest example of one of the huge Californian conifers, brought here in the 1850s. East of the main building are the pretty red halftimbered farm buildings along Bredgade. They  origin from 1713. There is public access to the park.     

History and Owners: 
Gjorslev got its name after a now disappeared village. It belonged in the late 1200s - according to Arild Huitfeldt - to the væbner Rane Jonsen (Rani) who is famous for the history around king Erik Klipping's murder. He was executed in 1294 at Roskilde. In the jordebog (register book) of the Roskilde bishop ab. 1370 is mentioned the main farm G. with half the village-land belonging to the bishopric, which had already a strong castle here. The bishop Peder Jensen (Lodehat)(+ 1416) built here the oldest part of the still preserved building and was in the 1500s called fundator castri Giordsleff. In the jordebog is G. mentioned as a fogedi (exactio), later more often as a vasalry.

Middle Ages:
 From the bishop's vasals were: Johannes Absalonsen (Ulfeldt)(+ 1396), before 1389; his brother-in-law hr. Niels Iversen (Rosenkrantz) of Hevringholm (+ before 8/9 1413) 1396-97; Jep Halvegge 1461, Folmer Jepsen 1470-74, the væbner Laurens Knob 1479-89, Tetz Jensen Rosengaard (+ 1544), Søren Daa (+ before 1511) 1493-95; and Niels Vincentsen Lunge (Dyre) of Asserstrup (+ 1552) 1519-23. One Mester Laurids is said to have Gjorslev as a vasalry twice; hr. Knud Jørgensen Rud of Vedby and Møgelkær (+ 1554) also twice, the last time he left the vasalry in 1529, whereafter Jørgen Rosengaard (+ 1532), a sister's son of bishop Lage Urne had the vasalry in 1529-30; Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt (+ 1540) in 1530-36 and Børge Trolle of Lillø (+ 1571) in 1536-37.

Reformation time and after:  
In 1537 the Lutheranian diplomat from Pomerania Peder Svave was vasal at G., which estate the king conveyed to him as a free property, after P.S. had committed himself to stay in Denmark and marry a Danish wife. Peder Svave died as a rigsråd (state counsillor) at G. in 1552, but was survived by his wife Else Svave (+ earliest 1563); she left two daughters: Margrethe Svave (+ unmarried 1594 at G.) and Elsebe Svave (+ 1612). The last mentioned married in 1571 Vincens Juel of Hesselmed (+ 1579). From their children Peder Juel (+ 1612) inherited G., but since his marriage to Jytte Gyldenstierne (+ 1642) was without children, the farm went to his sister Ellen Juel (+ 1619), married to Jens Bille of Vrejlevkloster (+ 1617.) Their son Vincens B. inherited G., but sold the farm in 1630 to rigskansler Just Høeg (+ 1646), who extended G.'s land by abolishing the village G., except two farms. His sickly son Stygge H. (+ latest 1685) inherited probably G., but even his marriage to the rich Anne Marie Grubbe was not able to save his economy, and in 1663 he had to leave G. to his creditors, from whom his brother, the diplomat Just Justesen Høeg (+ 1694) and his brother-in-law Henrik Juel of Lindbjerggård (+ 1707) were the most important.

1600s:
 They sold G. already in 1664 to the Holstein merchant, Joachim Irgens (Jürgens), who from 1637 had been a valet to Christian IV and later was the owner of a mine, where he had given the Crown several hundred thousand rigsdaler, and because of this he was given some Crown estate; he was knighted in 1674 in the name von Westervig. During his ownership the rest of the G. village was broken down and the land placed under the main farm. In the 1660s I. had an economic regression, and in 1672 he had to pawn G. to the Dutch trading company Schardinell in Amsterdam.  After I's death in 1675 his widow Cornelia Bicher (+ 1708) had to renounce G. to the owners of the Dutch trading company, who in 1678 made imports in farm and estate and in the same year conveyed it to queen Charlotte Amalie, who also bought Søholm and Erikstrup and more often stayed at G.

Stevns Klint (cliff)

1700s:
At the queen's death in 1714 G. and Erikstrup went to her daughter princess Sophie Hedevig, who already in 1716  exchanged these farms with Dronninglund, Dronninggård and Børglum kloster to her brother Frederik IV, who let the estates furnish as ryttergods. (military cavalry). In 1743 the Crown sold G. with Søholm and Erikstrup to ex-supercargo in Asian company Christen Lintrup, who in 1756 was knighted in the name de Lindencrone and in 1763 had the estates established as an entailed estate.  L. worked with energy to improve the estate; he introduced potato-cultivation, he reduced the villeinage, which he terminated in 1767, and he introduced the copyhold in 1769. These reforms did not work as expected, and the wealth of the farmers declined. After L.'s death at G. in 1772 the estates went to his son, kammerjunker Johan Frederik L. (+ 1817), who by royal confirmation in 1791 let them substitute and sold them in 1793 to later etatsråd Jacob Brønnum Scavenius (+ 1820), who had earned a great fortune in India and now continued the reforms of his predecessor with great skill  and good results. ( replacement of the farmers' land and their farms, protection of the forests, improvement of the limestone-production on the Stevns cliff).

Gjorslev, Bredgade

1800s and present day: 
Scavenius left after his death important scientific collections and a big book collection. After his widow, Karine Lucia Debes' death in 1825 the son, later kammerherre, Peder S. took over G. (knighted 1843). He was an independent conservativ politician, he had scientific interests, esp. astronomy and was a great book collector. In a will he founded the Scaveniusske Fideikommis. The family Scavenius owned G. until 1925. From 1925 until the present day it is in possession of the Tesdorph family.

Holtug Church

 














Holtug church, once a seamark, is placed solitary and high. It has a Romanesque nave, a late Gothic longhouse choir ,a sacristy and a later built porch. The Romanesque nave is a limestone-ashlar building, of which only the longwalls are preserved. From original details are from the porch loft a bricked-up round arch window visible to the west in the south wall. In an ashlar, probably from the original choir, is a rune inscription "Tirad ristede" (meaning: Tirad made the runes), which His  rather early (ab.1400-1450). The Romanesque choir was replaced by a longhouse choir and at the same time three bays crossvaults were inserted in this and in the nave, of which only the western with trifoil-ribs are partly preserved, while the others have been rebuilt later (in 1637 the vault above the half of the nave had fallen down). Somewhat later than the longhouse choir the sacristy to the south was built in limestone-ashlars, the tiled roof gable has three tall steps and some large glares. The room is covered in a vault, which reminds about a crossvault at Gjorslev manor. The late Gothic western tower from ab. 1500-25 is in limestone and a little tile. The crossvaulted tower room has to the west a large flat-curved window and a contemporary stairhouse to the south. The gable field-glares are various; to the east simple high glares, to the west a storey-divided system in south Zealand type. In the walls of the bell storey are several names and dates, fx 1523 ( one rune inscription and a date 1414 are false). The porch to the south is without style, probably from the 1600s.

The runes on the wall of Holtug church

 

The altarpiece is a painting from 1821 in a neo Gothic frame with two wings, added in 1922. The chalice is with engraved year 1609. Late Gothic ore candelabres, ab. 1550. Limestone font from 1922. A neo Gothic wooden font replaced ab. 1850 "a flying angel with the baptismal dish in her hands" from 1749, and a stone font is mentioned in 1716. A foot from a font at a farm in the village might be from the church, like a basin which from Gjorslev park came to Magleby church. Upon a grave of a parish priest from 1928 stands a Romanesque granite basin, possibly a font, which origins from Holtug, but until 1922 it was in Store Heddinge. A crucifix figure, a fine carving from ab. 1650-1700 hangs in the nave. A pulpit from ab. 1825 with new evangelist-paintings. A parish clerk stool from ab. 1630-40. Bells 1) 1665 by Hans Meyer, 2) Bell from 1723 or 25 by Fr. Holtzmann, recast 1894.

Several gravestones, a portraitstone in Gotland limestone from Morten Busser's workshop, 1552; on the church yard a family grave for the Scavenius-family. In 1922 and 1928 were found Romanesque graves in limestone-ashlars. The last is now at Stevns Museum in St. Heddinge.

From Holtug parish:
Is Jepsen who had a columbine flower in his shield is mentioned 1470 and 1474 in Holtug.
In Holtug was in the late 1600s a farm (manager), which belonged to queen Charlotte Amalie, who in 1687 had a royal confirmation that it must be laid under Gjorslev. While princess Sophie Hedevig owned this estate, was from its land established 3 farms.

Bredeløkke was earlier a farm under Gjorslev.

Holtug skanse (military defense)  at the beach north of the church was repaired at the war-start in 1675, but was in 1667 mentioned as being delapidated.

Listed prehistorics: at Holtug mark (field) north of the village is the large Skjoldshøj, east of the village another hill. At the fields of Gjorslev near the beech forest is Børnehøj. In the south-east corner of Gjorslev bøgeskov (beech forest) are 2 lesser hills, and in the western part of the forest, in connection to the large group at Møllesø in Magleby parish is an oblong group with 14 hills, mainly lesser round hills, 2 are long hills like the 51 m long Fruerhøj.

Demolished or destroyed:  At Holtug field 2 possible stone cists and 7 hills. At the fields of Gjorslev 4 hills and in the forests 5. 

On the beach at Gjorslev Bøgeskov is the stone called Blak.


Names from the Middle Ages: Holtug (1261 Holthøiæ, 1302 Holtogh, ab. 1370 Holtwæ); Gjorslev (ab. 1370 Giordslef).

Source: 
Trap Danmark,Præstø amt, 1955; Politiken, Danmarks slotte og herregårde, Niels Peter Stilling, 1997.

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

Møgeltønder churchMøgeltønder kirke and Schackenborg, Tønder, Højer and lø herred, Tønder amt.

Tønder, Højer and Lø herred 
(the history of the whole district is so complicated that three herreds are assembled in one).                                                                                       

                                                                          
 























 The large, interesting church in Møgeltønder is consegrated to Sct. Nicolai. It has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Romanesque or early Gothic extensions to the east and west, a late Gothic tower to the west, a stairhouse to the gallery from 1692 at the north side of the nave, a burial chapel from 1763 at the north side of the choir and a porch from 1898 at the south side of the choir. It is probable that the original section of the nave was built at an earlier choir, of which are kept a few granite details in the western section of the building and a couple of window lintels in a house in Slotsgade, but the present building is built in monk bricks. The oldest section is the eastern part of half the nave from ab. 1200, which longwalls are crowned with round arch friezes, with no contact to the corner lisens/pilastres. There are left no details, except some faint traces of windows. The early choir with three round arched windows to the south is in early Gothic style, probably from ab. 1275. It was extended to the east. The gable got a three-window-group, which outer windows are bricked, while the middle is extended.  The whole choir was overvaulted with two octagonal vaults, very related to the vaults in Løgumkloster church. At the same time the nave was extended to the west, and this section has to the north two round arched windows and a round arched door in a faint protrusion. The south door is point arched.  The western nave section was somehow disturbed by the building of the late Gothic tower, which eastern wall rests upon a interposed wall. The walls to the north and south are drawn in at the roof-height of the nave and rest upon a strange udkragning ( free beam) with several buestik (like bricks placed vertical). Both nave and tower room have flat beamed ceilings.

The octagonal pyramid spire with four partly re-newed pointed gables was finished in 1630 as a replacement of a 15 alen higher spire, which broke down in a storm shortly before Christmas in 1628. (Danish alen = 60 cm) The grevelige (county) burial chapel at the north side of the choir was built in 1763 with rustik-ashlars on the corners and a curved Baroque gable. It was earlier in connection to the choir in a round arched door, which was bricked in 1853, when a portal in Baroque style was inserted in the northern gable. The oddly placed porch at the south side of the choir replaced in 1898 an older porch at the same place. The church is white-washed except the upper section of the tower in red monk bricks. The spire has a slate roof, the stairhouse has a tile roof, the rest is roofed with lead.

In and around the church are many burial memorials, epitaphs, ( one from 1592 for Pether Henricson who died 127 year old, with a portrait). Some of the epitaphs are richly decorated. Many grave stones from the 1700s and 1800s, there is a burial crypt under the southern part of the choir, probably equipped for the Rantzau family in the 1500s, but in 1696 for the Schack family. Here are three similar Baroque sandstone sarcophagus with members of the Schack family, and furthermore three children coffins. In the Schackenborg- burial site north of the chapel are burials of members of the family Schack. Upon the church yard is a memorial from 1922 for the killed soldiers from the parish from the WWI 1914-18.



 

Upon the vaults and walls of the choir and the western gable of the nave are frescoes from various periods.  There are rests of a biblical decoration in circular fields from ab. 1275, vine decorations from the beginning of the 1300s and a rich decoration in early Renaissance which has been kept un-restored upon the western wall of the nave, while all the other frescoes were heavily restored in 1894-98 by A. Wilckens who did add large parts of frescoes, like two gentlemen, grev Hans Schack and son, and also a frescoe of himself.


The inventory is unusually rich and varied. The communion table is in monk bricks, probably contemporary to the choir extension, it is covered in a panel with hammer-shaped fields from ab. 1650. The altarpiece is a pretty four-winged late Gothic piece from ab. 1500 with a Golgatha-scene with many figures in the middle and the apostles in the inner wings. Upon the outer sides and the outer wings are eight Passion-paintings. In ab. 1700 was added a top piece with a Resurrection-relief and achantus-wings from Peter Petersen's workshop in Tønder. From some disappeared side-altarpieces are kept two large figures from the late 1400s, a Madonna and a bishop figure, probably Sct. Nicolai, and a pretty relief of the birth of Christ. The altar chalice is from ab. 1550, the foot from the 1600s and a cup from the 1700s. The oblate-box is from ab. 1750 with a rich filigree-work , it has the initials of Anna Ernestine grevinde v. Schack. The vine jar is from 1674, similar to the vine jar in Tønder, it has the initials of Hans greve v. Schack.

There are four pairs of candelabres: 1) early Gothic, 2) late Gothic upon lions, 3) Baroque, 1659, given by ridefoged (bailiff) Jens Andersen and wife Margrete, 4) late Baroque , ab. 1750, in brass plate with flowers. Upon the altar lies Chr. IV's Bible in original black binding with brass mountings. The crucifix upon the chasuble origins from an earlier chasuble. A mass bell from 1650.  The altar railings are from the 1700s and the high choir grating from 1653. A late Romanesque granite font, carved in one stone, with waves of garlands upon the basin and foot. A smooth dish from ab. 1700s. A six-sided sounding board in Renaissance from ab. 1625.  A Baroque pulpit with Corinthic corner pillars from 1694 was made in Peter Petersen's workshop and given by Nicolaus Tych. The foot section of the pulpit is shaped as a group of children in play. The previous pulpit from 1580 is in Keitum church upon the island Sild.

The pews are mainly from second half of the 1500s, some probably from 1554,others a little later. The gables of the pews were cut down ab. 1740. A priest-stool from 1690s, a parish clerk-stool in late Gothic from ab. 1550, but remade in the 1690s. In the south door is a Gothic door-wing, changed in the 1600s, and between the nave and the tower room is a door-wing, probably from 1578. There are three galleries: 1) in the west end of the nave, the original sections are from 1578 and the gallery carries the organ, 2)  upon the north wall of the nave, from 1691, narrowing to the east, where it meets 3) Schackenborg's stool from 1692 with entrance from the stairhouse outside at the north side of the nave. The interesting organ is from 1679 and is considered the oldest in use in  DK.  A series pastorum is made from an epitaph from ab. 1640. Upon the south wall of the nave almost life-size priest-portraits: 1) Lago Johannis, + 1707 and 2) Godske Møller, + 1741. Furthermore a painting of lensgreve Hans Schack + 1905. Two paintings of the guldhornene from Gallehus is now at Schackenborg. A church ship "Margrethe" from 1934 or 1935. A tower watch from 1663. Bells: 1) 1333 with casting-mark,  2) 1642 by Baltzer Melchior.


Schackenborg, Møgeltønder belonged from old times to Ribe bishopric, and a bishop's manor is mentioned already in 1258 to which the peasants had to pay some taxes. Later this manor was called Møgeltønderhus. It was broken down in 1265, probably during a feud between the bishop and hertug Erik; but it must have been rebuilt soon after, since king Erik Menved in 1288 promised to assist the castle if it came under the siege of hertug Valdemar. From 1407 it is assumed that Møgeltønderhus with estate was incorporated in the Danish kingdom as a part of the West Schleswig- enclaves. During the fights between Erik of Pommern and the Holsteiners Møgeltønderhus was in 1417 endowed to the ridder from Zealand, Morten Jensen Gyrstinge; later the vasalry came back to Ribe bishopric. Its last episcopal vasal was Peter Rantzau, who in the reformation-years had to transfer the castle to the royal vasal Detlef Ahlefeldt, to whom it was pawned in 1546. On his request the pawn was redeemed in 1562, and he was followed as a vasal by Niels Lange (1562-64), who also was a vasal at Riberhus. The vasalry was already pawned again in 1564 to the successor Claus Rantzau. His widow Magdalene kept it until 1573, when Bendix Rantzau acceeded. He bought the vasalry in 1583, but it was bought back to the Crown in 1599, and it had thereafter vasal together with Riberhus. Albert Friis was the vasal in 1601, after him Albret Skeel 1601-39, Gregers Krabbe in 1639-51, Mogens Sehested in 1651-55, Otto Krag 1655-58 and from 1658 feltherre Hans Schack. (military chief). In the Torstensson-feud 1643-45 and in the Karl Gustav-war 1658-59 the castle and the vasalry suffered a great damage; among other things the forest Lindskov disappeared completely. In Bendix Rantzau's time a big deal of peasant-estate was included under the main farm-taxt. After the Torstensson-feud the farm-operation was discharged, and the serfdom was reduced.

In 1661 Hans Schack was endowed for life with Riberhus and Møgeltønderhus as a renumeration for "troskab og villig tjeneste"(loyalty and willingness). His widow got after him a yearly pension.of 3000 rigsdaler. The son Otto Didrik Schack could also for life enjoy the income from the estate. Shortly after the endowment in 1661 Hans Schack bought the whole estate with Møgeltønder, Ballum and Lustrup judicial rights and with jus patronus and church taxes of the churches in Møgeltønder, Daler; Ballum, Vesterland-Før and Amrun. After he became a count, the estate was extended in 1673 by buying land in Højer, Lø and Hviding herred and jus patronus and church tax in Emmerlev parish. With some smaller buyings later the estate was divided in 30 villages, but the condition for being a county was still not quite enough, anyway the county Schackenborg was established 23/6 1676. In the erectile letter there were rights to operate oyster fishing in the Vesterhavet (North Sea) as far as the front-beaches of Schackenborg stretched along the coast. Hans Schack had died a half year before,  and the county and the other estates, Gram and Gisselfeld, were taken over by his son lensgreve Otto Didrik Schack, who from 1674 was stiftsbefalingsmand in Ribe (military title). In 1682 he renounced to the king Sønderland at Rømø, List on Sild, Vesterland-Før and Amrum, and he and his son was in return paid 1000 rigsdaler a year.

O.Schack tried to re-introduce the serfdom, but the peasants protested by going to Copenhagen in 1672 in a regular peasant-procession. The case caused long-winding processes, which ended in the Supreme court, and they gave their judgment in 1678. But still after the turn of the century the Lord of the manor and the peasants were in a feud and a new process was brought before the Supreme court in the 1720s, and here it was resolved that the widowed countess Anna Sophie, née Rantzau (+ 1760), had bribed højesteretsjustitiarius (top-member of the Supreme court ) Chr. Scavenius , who was discharged because of this in 1725.

Otto Didrik S. (1.) died in 1683 and was succeeded in the estate by Hans (2.) (+ 1719), who again was succeeded by Otto Didrik ( 2.) (1710-41), for whom his mother Anna Sophie administered the county, until he was of age. During his successor, the son Hans (3.) (1735-96) an administration-commission was in 1768 deployed because of debt. The commission introduced some reforms which were also of benefit for the subjects of the estate. The king granted in 1770 that the peasants could have their farms as property tenant farms, and they could be freed of the rests of the serfdoms by paying a yearly tax and a recognition in change of ownership. The main part of the manor land was left to the peasants as copyhold, and in 1771 the farm buildings, except a barn, were broken down. This barn burnt in 1891.

After generalmajor Otto Didrik S (3.) (1758-1809) the county went to Hans S. ( 4.) (1786 - 1814), under whom an unsuccessfull attempt was made in 1804 to sell the county in an auction,  and then to lensgreve Otto Didrik S (4.) (1810-1856), who started the plant of Gallehus forest.
Later owners: lensgreve Hans S. (5) (1852-1905), lensgreve Otto Didrik S. ( 5),  who died in 1949, from 1949- 1978 lensgeve Hans Schack (6).

Schackenborg today: (1978-1993) Kongefamilien, (1993-) H.K.H. Prins Joachim
            
Schackenborg slot is listed in klasse A.

cattle in the marsh, by the inner dike.

Råde (Røj) in 1500 Peter Bennicketsen is mentioned on R., in 1578 Laurids Mikkelsen got Fr. II's letter that one of his sons could get the farm after him, later it was bought by Bendic Rantzau of Møgeltønderhus, but in 1601 the above mentioned Laurids Mikkelsen's son Laurids Lauridsen got a kongebrev (royal letter) that he should have the farm  as a tenant. In 1617 Michel Chistensen (+ 1646) was a tenant at R., whereafter Claus Lauridsen or Lorentzen owned it until 1664, when he sold to Hans Schack. The farm was thereafter under Møgeltønderhus main farm tax, and the lands were rented out in 1667 to the inhabitants in Møgeltønder and Daler parish. Only a little piece of land stayed with the buildings, but the later tenants rented land from the castle field.
Later owners: Søren Jochumsen (1740-1798), Anna Maria Adolphs (1798-1807), Chr. Boysen (1807-1813), Redlef Brodersen (1813-1817), Garmsen (1817-1823), Boy Feddersen from 1823, after him his brother Berend Feddersen, Preussian domain in 1903. Lessee from 1904-26 H. Reuter, in 1951 folketingsmand Peter Petersen (Røj),  the farm burnt in 1915. In an exchange R. came in 1951 under Schackenborg.


Slotfelt, farm under Schackenborg.

sheep in the marsh

Ved Åen were 13 farms in the middle of the 1600s. All farm buildings were placed on værfter (small banks), some of them were by Hans Schack included in the main farm taxt  and then abolished or outrented for higher sums than before. Among the important marsh farms was Vesterfelt,  and V. Anflod . Some værfts (banks) from previous farms are still visible in the marsh.

Trægård. In 1489 Rewer Feddersen is mentioned in Trægård. Claus Iversen Rosenkrands of Kogsbøl (mentioned ab. 1500) had the son Erik Clausen (mentioned 1515), who was written of Trægård. He was accused of murdering the bailiff of Højer herred, but was acquitted. Trægård belonged later under Kogsbøl in Emmerlev parish. The farm was desolate in 1599. A smallfarm lies at its site now.

The parish was plagued by floods in 1436, 1578, 1582, 1630, 1634, 1655 and 1825.









The unusually well-preserved buildings at Kærgårdshof, which possibly was built in 1777, iare listed in klasse B. The farm was in the ownership of the family Brodersen from 1663 until 1924, it lies upon a high værft ( bank), and it is seen far and wide with its large hipped thatched roof. The four winged closed plan is built in darkburnt redpurple stones with finely profiled cornices. The farm with its richly carved and painted wood is a witness of the marsh farmers solid wealth, it was in 1951 thoroughly restored with fundings from Det særlige bygningssyn after a long period of neglect.

the marsh by the coast.

The buildings at Supskog, which are listed in klasse B, were until a few years before 1966 the best example of a preserved marsh farm, but a heavy rebuild 1957-58, where the thatched roof was replaced by a large eternit roof, which was built across the yard, where the walls were partly broken down, has strongly reduced its worth. The red brick farm (rebuilt barn 1836) has however kept its wonderful placement upon a high værft and is visible far and wide across the low marsh land.

The listed buildings(klasse B) at Nr. Sødam represent a little older and less solid cast farm-type than the impressive, architectonic marsh farms like Kærgårdshof. The farm is built in large redpurple bricks upon a plinth of granite boulder, it lies upon a high værft and has a long living building, which holds rests of a very old construction. Upon the east gable is the year 1734. The barn was built in 1761, but the walls were later re-newed and the hipped thatched roof was replaced by an eternit roof.

Lindskov mølle (mill) listed in klasse B, is a fine three-winged thatched redbrick-plan from the late 1700s, the barn is from 1856. The water mill, which has been out of work since 1941, where the mill pond surrounded by high dams was  out-dried in 1955, has kept its old machinery, which is a witness of Frisian-Dutch influence.

café in Slotsgade, Møgeltønder

                                                                                         

The town Møgeltønder has kept its unusually fine and unique cultural townscape. The high quality of the settlements with the beautiful and balanced proportions cause that even the smallest houses are able to stand up. They have a simple and strong colour effect in the burnt redpurple bricks with the white joints and the white-painted woodwork and the large, soft, thatched roofs. the main street slotsgade, was probably built ab. 1680 by Otto Didrik Schack.


Gallehus was, so far you can go back, only two smaller farms and some minor houses. They were placed in a triangle around a large open place. At Gallehus was the former rettersted (court place with gallow).

A house in Gallehus (kådnerhus) is listed in klasse B. It is a pretty little, thatched redbrick building just west of the two memorials which were raised by Otto Didrik Shack at the finding place of the two guldhorn (Golden horns).

Much estate in Møgeltønder belonged to Ribe bishopric already in the 1200s. It came to the king at the reformation and became a n independent vasalry.  On the 3/3 1661 Hans Schack got a deed on Møgeltønderhus, (later Schackenborg), Møgeltønder judicial birch and all estate, which had belonged to the vasalry.

At the place called Lægan was in the old days a quay or harbour .

There are no preserved prehistorics in the parish, but there were a dolmen and 9 hills. The dolmen close to the former railway-station was Holger Danskes Høj with 5 supporting stones and a large cover stone. Two hills were Tinghøj and Galgehøj north of Møgeltønder. A hill in town had possibly a passage grave. In a large sand pit in the western part of town were found several clay pots of various age, from the single grave culture of Stone Age till early Roman Iron Age.

  

Source: Trap Danmark, Tønder amt, 1966

photo 2002: 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






    

Ousted church/ Ousted kirke, Voer herred, Skanderborg amt.

The whitewashed church in Ousted is the highest placed church in Denmark with a wide view to the south and east. It has a Romanesque choir and nave with late Gothic additions, a tower to the west and a porch to the north from the late 1700s. The Romanesque building is built in travertine and boulder, the choir stands on a pretty plinth which consists of two circular parts, stepped above a horisontal part; the nave is a little younger, it stands upon a beveled-edge plinth. Two very large round arched doors are bricked. The choir had from the beginning a strange form, in spite of the flat eastern wall inside it is a triangular apse, which travertine vault are carried by hjørnetromper (corner-trompes). In the northeast corner is a re-opened low door to a narrow spiral staircase, which leads up above the vault. Under the southern trompe is a piscina with two outlets. The high slender choir arch has beveled-edge bands. In the late Gothic period, probably ab. 1475, was in choir and nave built cross vaults, in the choir one, in the nave four, of which the westernest is very narrow. the vaults are contrary to custom carved into the walls without  skjoldbuer (= the cut-line between the vault and the wall).Later the tower was added in monk bricks to the west. Its rather narrow bottom room, which has a cross vault,opens in a pointed arch in the full broadth of the room towards the nave. A straight-running staircase in the north wall with entrance from outside leads up to the middle storey. The wallwork of the tower is very face-walled, and it had its pyramid spire in ab. 1769.  The porch is probably from the same time.

                                                                              
The altarpiece is a fine carved work in Renaissance from ab. 1600 with two pillars and a triangular top section. Its painting is from the middle of the 1800s. Three carved bishop saints, Erasmus, Dionysios and a NN, which hang in the nave, probably origin from a late Gothic disappeared altarpiece ( ab. 1500s). Renaissance candelabres ab. 1600 (given by?) name: Knud Andersen upon the bell-shaped foot. A heavy, Romanesque granite font of the Sjørslev-type with double lions and achantus trees. A south German dish ab. 1575 with initials KID. As a baptismal jug was used a Romanesque akvamanile shaped as a lion ( now at the National Museum). A pulpit from the beginning of the 1600 with Tuscany pilastres upon the corners and portal fields.

A small shield with the letter P, which curve continues into a small cross left of the vertical stick, it might be a joiner's signature.  The pulpit and altarpiece were restored 1921. A colossal church ship from newer time "Fredericus Quintus". The bell 1591 with the names Christen Mortensen and Knud Andersen in Eir.


Tammestrup belonged in the Middle Ages to Øm kloster. At the reformation it came to the Crown and belonged to Skanderborg vasalry, later to the Skanderbog rytterdistrict (military).When the rytter-estate was sold T. was made a main farm (manor), and it was bought with estate by etatsråd Gerhard de Lichtenberg's widow Bodil Hofgaard in 1767. She had in 1795 a confirmation that the farm must keep its freedom although the estate was sold off, and in 1796 T. was with tiender (taxes) and estate conveyed by her estate to the manager of the farm Rasmus Damgaard, who in 1804 sold off Havreballegård. T came to Hans Andr. Møller, who in 1811 sold it to H. Nic. Sønnichsen, later of Slumstrup, and in a forced sale in 1815 it came to Peter Herschend of Herschendsgave. In 1826 it was laid out to proprietær Jensen, who at once sold it to the manager of the farm Jens Hviid (+ 1842). H.V.C. Güsloff, later of Vester Hovgård, bought in 1843 T. and sold it in 1855 to Harald Valdemar Neergaard (+ 1903), from whom it in 1866 came to Nic Nyholm (+ 1874). When his son A.J.C. Nyholm died in 1896, it was taken over by jægermester J.K. Dinesen of Kragerupsgård, who in 1898 sold it to Christian Adolph Heilmann (+ 1938). Owner in 1964: his son J.E. Heilmann.

Ejergård is from the 1800s. Owners in 1964: C.W. Jacobsen and fru I. Iversen.

Fredenshjem is from the 1850s. Owner in 1964: S. Nielsen.   

Sneptrup præstegård (vicarage) has a main building in half timber oak from 1747.

In a digging in Sneptrup vicarage's forest were in 1876 found a silver cup, in 1878 3 silver spoons and 26 speciedalere, mostly German, from the years 1590-1635, in 1899 were found 9 silver spoons and in 1938 a Nürnbergdaler from 1628,  probably everything belonged to the same treasure, hidden during the Torstenssonkrigen 1643-45 (Swedish war).

Ejer Bavnehøj with tower seen from highway.

Upon Ejer Bavnehøj,which is the next highest point in Denmark, was in 1924 raised a square viewing tower in red bricks. The surroundings are listed.

In a hollow in Tebstrup village, ab. 200 m east of the country road, is the medieval castle bank Voldhøj, a square ab. 3 m high bank, which measures ab. 20 m at the foot. The terrain around the bank is very leveled out, but it seems there have been double moats to the south and east and a single moat to the west, while the bank to the north faces the original swampy meadow. The top surface slopes to the northwest. Upon the north side is a cut, from where the earth was used for the moat. The farm building of the castle was probably at the weak ridge, which stretches from south to the castle bank.

Listed prehistorics: a long dolmen with a cover stone above the chamber in Balleskov and the rather large Staghøj at the eastern border north of Tebstrup.
Demolished or destroyed: 38 hills; one was upon Ejer Bavnehøj.  

At Ris-Tebstrup school was found an important settlement and an iron extraction-place from Celtic Iron Age; a settlement from the same period is known from Tammestrup.

Names in the Middle Ages: Ovsted kirke (1403 Ousted sogenn, 1413 Ousted kircke);  Sneptrup præstegård (1459 Sneptrup); Tebstrup (1373 Typstrop marck); Ris (1444 Aggisted ris, 1445 Rijsz; Ejer (1437 Eyer marck, 1492 Eyerd); Elling (1234 Jlingh, 1470 Elling); Bjødstrup (1488 Biornstrup marck, Biornestrup); Tammestrup (1283 Thumestrup marck, 1373 Thomistrop); Ejergård (1499 Eyergaardt).  

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.

photo 2002/2007: grethe bachmann

Nim church, Nim kirke, Nim herred, Skanderborg amt.

The highplaced church in Nimb has a Romanesque choir and nave a late Gothic western tower and a porch to the south. The Romanesque sections are in granite ashlars upon a bevel plinth , which is now only visible in a few places. From original details are seen the bricked north window of the choir, the choir arch, which has profiled kragbånd with rope sticks and lion reliefs and the two straight edged doors of the nave, of which the northern is blinded. Upon an ashlar in the north wall is a cup-shaped hollow. The low tower, which probably has been higher, is in raw boulder and monk bricks, and supplemented with ashlars from the demolished western gable of the nave; in the south wall is seen a monolith lintel from a Romanesque window and - as an inside glare - a flatcurved door opening. The tower room is in connection with the nave in a round arched arcade. The whole church has a beamed ceiling.  The porch is probably Gothic, but rebuilt in present times.   

A bricked altar with a Renaissance panel upon the front. The altarpiece is since 1959 a painting by A. Schumann in Horsens 1837 in a simple contemporary frame. The earlier altarpiece, a copy from 1907 of a painting by Carl Bloch, hangs in the tower room. Altar chalice and dish from 1857, made by the Horsens master Erik C. Lind. Altar candelabres from 1600s. Romanesque granite font with lions and windings in lively relief. A baptismal dish, a south German work from 1550-1600. A pulpit in high Renaissance 1614 with the coat of arms of Christopher Holgersen and wife, entrance through the triumph wall. Pews from ab. 1900. Upon the north wall of the nave hangs a small late Gothic crucifix. An iron bound money block at the door. Organ in the tower room. Bell from 1849, cast by Gamst and Lund. In the porch a large portrait gravestone for above mentioned Christopher Holgersen (+ latest 1622) and wife; inscription almost worn out. Outside the church lie a large worn out portrait stone from the 1700s and a gravestone for Johan Frederik Cramer, earlier citizen and merchant in Horsens (+ 1831). In the north corner of the church yard a "grave tree" in granite from the 1700s with a male figure in high relief, and at the burial chapel upon the church yard lies a large monolith lintel from a Romanesque window. 

At Bredstenbro was about 20 m southwest of the country road and 50 m from Gudenå river a chapel, consegrated to Vor Frue, it was registered at Åkær slot in 1591 in a charter from 1426 as called Brøstrum bro capell and it was said to be founded by bishop Bo (+ 1423) and renovated by bishop Ulrik (+ 1449).
The chapel was considered in 1456 in Niels Gyldenstierne's will. In 1461 a priest of Brystingbro is mentioned, and in ab. 1500 a site south of Vor Frue kapel's farm at B. Close west for the chapel was a sacred spring with outlet in Gudenå river. After the chapel site, the socalled "old church yard" for a long time had been used as a quarry and for using gravel, where a big number of skeletons appeared, the National Museum did in 1917 make a small excavation, in which were found the last small rests of the foundation of a monk brick building and some graves.   The chapel site is now completely destroyed.

Nim is in Valdemars Jordebog mentioned as krongods (belonging to the Crown); marsk Stig Andersen (Hvide) had N. as a vasalry from Erik Klipping.

In the parish were the villages Stakkelstoft (1683 Stackels Toft) with 1 farm and 7 houses, and Morup (1582 Marupmark, 1664 Morupmarch) at Brestenbro ab. two km north of Moruplund, which has got its name from the village.

Listed prehistorics: 13 hills of, which Bavnehøj east of Nim and a hill southwest of the village are very large, and 4 røser (stonegraves) in the forest north of Nim.
Demolished or destroyed: 80 hills, most of these were in the eastern part of the parish, where they in a couple of places formed distinct high rows, one along the Horsens-Silkeborg country road to Nim village and another to the south, to Sletkær. 

From Nim origins a late Bronze Age sacrifice find with hængekar (a belt jewelry), bracelets etc. etc. North of Nim was examined an urn burial site from Celtic Iron Age.

Names from the Middle Ages: Nim (1231 Nym); Brestenbro (1426 Brøstenbroe, 1456 Brøstænbro); Bolund (1408 Bordelund).

Source: Trap Danmark, Skanderborg amt, 1964.  

photo 2003: grethe bachmann