Friday, September 11, 2009

Åsted church / Åsted kirke & Østergård, Harre herred, Viborg amt.

Åsted Church, ab. 25 km north of Skive
Åsted sogn, Harre herred, Viborg amt.

The large church in Åsted has a tall tower to the west, and nave and choir, porch and burial vault on the north side. The oldest section, nave and choir is a romanesque teglstenskirke (brick-work) upon a granite plinth in well-carved ashlars. The walls have been repaired several times. The original architecture is best seen on the north side of the choir behind the burial vault. The north door is preserved, covered by the porch. The tower was added in the end of the Middle Ages , the walls on its west and south side are somewhat re-walled in 1868. The additions: tower, porch and cross arm are all probably late Gothic and they are built in ashlars and monk bricks. On both side of the east window of the porch are two round holes where human skulls are placed.

The nave has a new beamed ceiling . The Romanesque triumph wall has a round choir arch, flanked by side altar niches. The choir with its star vault is decorated with Renaissance frescoes from 1563, with scenes from the Old and New testament, portraits of Luther and Melanchton etc. and coat of arms of Iver Krabbe and Magdalene Banner of Østergård. Frescoes after the reformation are dominated by the coat of arms of the nobility - also in Åsted Church where the decorations are equipped with a long frieze with coat of arms.

Maria's Seven Sorrows

The communion table has an old table-plate which earlier was a threshold-stone in the porch, and the Renaissance table-panel is from 1590 with the initials of fru Anne Krabbe of Østergård. The altar piece is a joinery in Renaissance. The preserved carved works of the side wings ascribe to Claus Berg's workshop in Odense. Upon the foot of the altar piece is the coat of arms of Iver Krabbe and Magdalene Banner. The Romanesque granite font has a smooth basin and a smooth brass baptismal dish with the initials INR-CVA. A confessional is Renaissance. the stool sections are probably fromab. 1800. The church bell is from 1591, cast by Borchard Gelgeter and given by Anne Krabbe of Østergård.

Upon the wall of the cross arm is a memorial tablet for Axel Viffert, born and died in 1580, a son of Axel Viffert of Axelvold, placed by his mother fru Anne Krabbe. In the porch are two gravestones, one for Lucas Krabbe of Østergård , + 1543 and fru Inge Eriksdatter Skram, the other from 1558 with portrait figures of Iver Krabbe, + 1561 and his wife Magdalene Banner, + 1597.

A very known frescoe in the church is "Marias syv sorger" (Maria's Seven Sorrows") Only a small section is preserved in the south chapel. These frescoes are from ab. 1500. Normally the theme is a picture of Maria with seven swords with medaillons.


Østergård, 27 km north of Skive

The old manor Østergård is placed in the northernest part of Salling not far from Limfjorden and the ferry to the island Fur. The main building, listed in class A, is built on upon a square motte surrounded by partly preserved moats, which originally were surrounded by high banks. the plan is much alike Spøttrup Castle. The late Gothic four winged building closes around a very small castle yard, only 9 x 9 m. Here was in 1408 a fortificated castle Nissum owned by ridder (knight) Niels Krabbe. Krabbe is an old family in Salling, where they owned several manors, among those Krabbesholm by Skive. Niels and his son Morten both died in 1483, and Glob or Lucas Krabbe took over the manor. He closed down Nissum and established instead the estate Østergård, where he upon a motte south of åen(river) built the west wing in 1516 and the south wing in 1530-40. The lower east and north wings finished the building about 1550 by rigsråd Iver Krabbe.

Østergård is one of few four winged castles in Denmark which is unchanged from the period just before and after the reformation. All walls are in monk bricks. Through the east wing is a narrow round-arched gate and on the inside of the north wing are the flat-arched windows placed in a high twin-arched bricked up wall, which are often found in the North Jutland late Gothic - like Helligåndsklostret (Catholic from Montpellier in France) in Aalborg. The building is one of the best examples of the late medieval castle type in Denmark. Unfortunate the old manor is closely embraced by gigantic farm buildings. Later owners have modernised the old manor plan in a respectful way. Wellknown family names at Østergård are besides Krabbe also Kaas, Brahe, Ulfeldt, Lindenow and Worm who suceeded one another from 1597 till 1675. After this various owners. Østergård is now owned by the family Skov ( year 2000).

Søbygård was owned by væbneren (esquire) Troels Jensen in 1430-53. It was by the Crown exchanged to Iver Krabbe of Østergård. s

Risumgård was sold to Magdalene Banner of Krabbesholm in 1573 in an exchange with the Crown.

There is a considerable archeaological interest in the motte and baily-complex northwest of Åsted upon the western bank down by and out into the river valley. (1962). Here is a small square castle bank named Holmshøj, surrounded by moat and bank and a pretty example of a castle type which probably is early Middle Ages (Motte). The plan reminds about a pre-historian castle shelter. A road leads down into the meadow, where a low embankment runs further out to some vague rises , where heavy driven in poles show yet another castle plan, commonly called Sallingholm - and this might be the motte of the demolished castle of Lucas or Glob Krabbe named Nissum. The area is now almost indistinct by ploughing.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s:
Åsted (1468 Ostædh, Osteth); Nissum (1406 Næswm); Risum (* 1429 Rysom, 1481 Risom); Elkærgårde ( ab. 1525 Ryssum Elker); Hjorbusk (1546 Hørbuske, 1664 Hiurbusch); Østergård (1495 Østherægordh); Åsted Skovgård( * 1429 Ostathskoff, Ostath skow); Sæbygård ( * 1430 Sæbygard); Søgård (1524 Siøgardt); Vestenbjerggård (1683 Westenberiggaard); Korsgård (ab. 1525 Korssgardt).

Listed prehistorics: 6 hills, of which the large Møgelhøj east of the church, Skovhøj and another large hill north of Åsted and a larger hill at Søgård.
Demolished or destroyed: A passage grave,a longhill and 82 hills, in one of these was found a grave from early Bronze Age with sword, knife, broche and a gold bangle.

Source: Trap Danmark, Viborg amt; Politikens bog om Danmarks herregårde; Jytte Ortmann: slotte og herregårde i Danmark; Politikens bog om Danmarks kalkmalerier.

photo Åsted kirke/Østergård 2004: grethe bachmann

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