Local Newspaper “Hordaland” Saturday , July 15, 2000
Local Newspaper “Hordaland” Saturday , July 22, 2000
CAN THE OLD CHURCH IN VINJE RISE
FROM THE DEAD?
By Knut Markhus, Newspaper “Hordaland”, July
8, 2000
In 1872 the 200-year old church at Vinje was
torn down and Vossestrand lost an important historic site. But the
church is never forgotten, and perhaps it is neither lost forever. Much
of the wood and inventory has been preserved, and many feel that this is
a cultural treasure for Voss. The possibility is there to have it raised
again.
In this article will we look at the history
of Vinje old Church. Later will we meet those who engage themselves in this
special church case, look at what has been done and brave ideas for the future.
«It was too bad that they tore down the old
church. We should have allowed it to stay, it was so beautiful.
The interior was painted and it had wonderful leaded glass pictures, angels
and all kinds of things. The christening-bowl was a kind of large log with
a brass plate.» This is what Knut Bjorgaas wrote in «Or
gommol ti’» (From the old times). He describes a building which was
anything but simple and sparse, even though that may be the impression from
the outside.
«The church was painted blue inside. The walls
had pictures of apostles and prophets. The ceiling was filled with
painted stars. A stellar- constellation was there, and one star came
from the east and had a streak of light spread out behind it.
The church is built.
In Roald Lyngvaer’s history of the churches
of Vossestrand, one can read about how Vinje Church was built: A medieval
church had faithfully served the community for several hundred years, but
at the end of the 1660’s the decision was made to build a new on. The
church-accounting for 1668-70 reports_»Paid to Magne Essen according
to commission for timber and various wood material for Vinje’s new building
70 Riksdaler.» «Likewise is paid Magne Essen, with his co-workers,
for the building of steeple and entranceway for same church, according to
contract 70 Riksdaler»
This Magne Essen is the same as Magne Knutson
Eidsheim from Hosanger, brother of sheriff and sawmill-owner Mogens Knutson
Eidsheim. The Eidsheim-brothers were among the first farmers who did
any building in Bergen on a large scale. When it came to timber and
wood there was no need to travel far to get it. Up by Brandset there
was a 200 year old forest ready for cutting.
In 1671 the church was raised The master builder
is said to be Ola Botolvson Sundve (1632-1711), a very capable man who was
both mail-carrier and blacksmith. With utmost care he signed his name
on a beam, which was found again in 1985. It is said that the same
man built the church in Oppheim.
New church-district - new church.
And the years went by. Children were
baptized, hymns sung and tears dried, while people said their prayers under
the blue sky of the Vinje Church.
That’s how the church lived its quiet, secure life until 1866. Then
Vossestrand became a separate church-district and the following year the
church-board made the decision to build a new church.
The French-American tourist, Paul DuChaillu,
reports from the years right after 1870. «Right by Vinje community
there is a beautiful log-church which was built 200 years ago.
The ceiling is arched and decorated with stars, and the walls painted in luxuriant
colors. Two crosses, one of iron and one of wood are the only monuments
in the churchyard. Services are no longer held in the church»
Demolishing and auctioning.
The new church was finished in 1870, and the old church
was no longer needed, as the tourist confirmed. Therefore there was
no hope for the old building, and in 1872 this house of the Lord lay demolished
on the ground. The church board had decided that the logs from the
old church should be used for a congregational hall at Draugsvoll - as big
a house as the quantity of wood permitted.
The inventory and the rest of the materials were
sold at an auction, and in this way spread throughout various communities.
Much of it was handled without any respect for its history, but some families
took good care of what they acquired. The church silver and a crucifix
were included in the new church, and the beautiful leaded glass is at the
Historical Museum in Bergen.
A treasure.
In later years the congregational hall at
Vinje was used as a community hall for the old Vossestrand community.
When Vossestrand became part of Voss Township, the old community hall became
a burden and had to be torn down. As it was demolished in 1985, aware workers
discovered strange things when they took the paneling off. First an
angel with wings emerged, and then they literally saw stars! Because
the paintings from the old church were well preserved, both angels and stars.
The work-foreman Ivar L. Loene stopped the
work immediately, and with the help of Ivar K. Lydvo the regional conservator
was contacted. Volunteers tore down the rest, and the wood stored privately
for many years.
Today it is all safely kept by Voss Folkemuseum.
But nobody knows exactly the quantity or the value of the stored wood.
Nobody knows how many pictures may be hidden behind the yellow paint from
its period as a community hall, and how many parts or objects from the old
church may still be found spread around in the district.
This special «church-case» falls between
all bureaucratic chairs. But locally there is now a strong will to raise
the respect for the old Vinje Church, and perhaps even rebuild it.
THE FATE OF OLD VINJE CHURCH:
Top of the page
By Knut Markhus, Local Newpaper “Hordaland”
July 15, 2000
This is the essence of the case: In 1671 the
old stave church in Vinje was replaced by the church that today has got new
attention – a small, but very distinguished decorated house of God. In 1972
this was demolished, and shortly later rebuilt as community hall at Draugsvoll.
In 1985 was Also thus demolished, then the workers discovered what material
had been used for the hall. Today is it stored by Voss Folkemuseum, but not
examined expert on church art and church buildings. Therefore there is a
great suspense connected to the value of the thimber piles.
ENGAGEMENT IN THE FLOWER MEADOW:
-- The fate of old Vinje Church occupies the mind of many persons, therefore
it’s important to bring forward information about the church , sazs the brothers
Ivar and Per Husdal. Here thez stand by the gate in to the Old grave yard
in Upper Vinje. Photo: Knut Markhus
WHAT IS LEFT ON THE FARMS?:
Many objects from the old church are likely in private possession around
in communities. Most of the furniture was sold auction as the church was
demolished in 1872. Here we see Odd Vinje and Olav Vinje holding something
that could be the end of a church bench. Private photo.
ON THE VINJE FARM: Ivar and
Per Husdal together with Bjørn Løne and Arnhild on the old
Vinje farm. Bjørn Løne is the owner of the farm on which the
old grave yard is located. Photo: Knut Markhus
A case for the full Voss Area
-- From our point of view the work with old
Vinje Church can be a joining task for the whole community, and then we think
of all of Voss, says the brothers Ivar and Per Husdal. As a first step they
wish that all material from the demolished building can be recorded.
The big dream however is to rebuild the church at it’s old location.
Ten years ago Ivar K. Lydvo wrote an article
in «Hordaland», where he warmly suggested that the Vinje Church
be rebuilt. «It is time we continue to work with this idea»,
says Ivar Husdal. He grew up with storytelling about the old Vinje
farm.
-- I still remember Knut Björgaas sitting there
telling stories about the old church, that he ment never should have been
demolished. It was a very beautiful.
-- Ivar Husdal admits that he has a great love for
the old church, and sets his priorities accordingly. «When you
fall in love with a pretty girl you are not thinking about what she is going
to cost you. I feel the same about Vinje Church. The project
is more than economy, even though that obviously will be a subject as we
move on.»
It can work!
The key to success is with the state historian.
It is a pressing issue to get professionals to look at the stored material,
and the state historian can get that done. In the first place the wood
has to be registered. Then the old paintings which were covered by
yellow paint while it was a Community Hall, will have to be revealed.
The state historian will also have to approve of everything else done with
the old wood.
But Ivar Husdal expects that it will be difficult to get help
from the state historian. It is common to work with existing buildings,
and in this case there is none to show. Therefore he encourages both local
people and the officials to engage themselves in the project. It is
encouraging that it has happened before that a demolished church has risen
again. That is the story of Oye Stave Church in Vang, Valdres.
It was torn down in 1747, but when the people of Valdres were going to repair
their new church in 1935, they found underneath its stone wall foundation
156 parts to the old stave church. In 1965 the old church was rebuilt
and blessed as sacred.
Wide support needed.
Ivar Husdal now invites the support of the
town government. He knows that it is unrealistic to expect any financial
funding there, but he feels that it will help the project greatly if support
is verbally expressed.
Even if those who are promoting the project have so far been working privately,
there is a growing enthusiasm among people in the community.
Ivar B. Løne has already collected 113
signatures from people who show an interest in getting the old church rebuilt.
Løne has also another interest relating to the project. The
wood sculpture, «The Devil from Vossestrand», stood by the entrance
to the very first church at Vinje. It now exists at Nordiska Museet
in Stockholm, Sweden. «Perhaps they would like to come home to
Vinje now, both this «devil», the stored wood, and the objects
from the church which exist around in the community», Loene wonders,
but he thinks that if the devil now feels more at home in Stockholm, a copy
could be made and placed in the church when it is rebuilt.
Where to go from here.
A steering-group will soon be established to
continue the work, and especially put pressure on the officials. Even
if rebuilding the old church is not on top of the agenda, this is the ultimate
goal. But the enthusiastic Husdal-brothers know that it is a long way
off.
"But if we, who are working on this project
now, are not able to make that goal a reality, at least we wish to do what
we can so that those coming after us can fulfil the work". They feel
that it is a duty for us to transmit the inheritance we have received that
we do not waste it.
ANGELS WITHOUT HEADS Top of the page
By Knut Markhus, Local Newpaper “Hordaland”
July 22, 2000
Ivar L. Løne was the foreman when they
tore down the community hall in 1985, and the one who first noticed what
the paneling was hiding. But he cannot add any additional information
about the quantity or the value of what they found. They were commissioned
to do the work of tearing down the building. When they started to tear
off the paneling they discovered old writing, and angels, among other things,
who no longer had any heads. Officials were contacted, and the wood
was registered as historic material to be protected, and then the work proceeded
with plans to store it.
«I can’t tell you if there were only individual
beams from the church or if there was more,» says Loene. He is
afraid that much of the old painted pictures on the wood may be destroyed.
The inside of the beams were planed and unpainted, while the outside had the
painted pictures, covered by paneling. But not every beam was painted.
That may mean that parts of the old paintings were planed away. It
seems that each beam was considered separately for re-use in the new building,
and nothing more.
It would be nice to have another
church, but…..
Director of Voss Folkemuseum, Dag Saeverud,
takes to heart the initiative to go through and register the wood from the
old Vinje Church. To rebuild it afterwards is a tempting thought, but
one filled with problems. He cannot promote it unless the museum receives
enough public funding to care for the building in the long run.
«It would be great to get the wood carefully
registered,» says Saeverud. «Now it is just a pile of lumber
which has also served as another building. We know nothing about how
it is marked, and it is entirely uncertain if there is enough original material
to rebuild the church. If there is less than one fourth of the church
here, it makes no sense to do that. But we do not know this.»
To rebuild the church at the museum has been
discussed. But even if this is a practical solution, he does not think
it will happen. The church has no natural place here. The museum
director also respects the wish of those who are working to have it rebuilt
on the original site.
On the other hand, he feels that Voss Folkemuseum
cannot let go of the church. When they took over the wood it also meant
the responsibility to care for it. «Experience tells us that
to set up a building is not the problem, and neither is the next 20 years,
but it is the following 80 years which are difficult. This consideration
always has to be back of our evaluation of projects. We always have
to assure that we don’t get into an economic tight-spot, and that is why
I am skeptical to the rebuilding of Vinje Church.»
We know too little.
«It is a fascinating idea to rebuild
the Vinje Church, but we know too little to actually make any decision about
the project.» That is what Gunnar Dagestad says, manager of the
cultural office in Voss. He is also anxious to get more knowledge about
the existing material from the old church. «Everybody must feel
that this kind of study would be of value, and we would support such work.
If this means financial support, it is another matter,» says Dagestad.
«We have earlier had contact with the
regional conservator about this stored wood. We found no support at
that time, but that was some time ago, and it is possible to try again.»
Dagestad gives full support to those who work
on the project, but initially just for the registering. «For
all we know, there may be only random beams from the church which are stored.
There is quite a bit of work to find out if there is sufficient material
saved to even think about rebuilding the church.»
_________
Translated from articles in the newspaper «Hordaland» July 2000, by Kari Bye (grand-daughter of Knut Bjorgaas, who collected and published stories about the old church), Carole Sass and Per Husdal Top of the page