Exploring Nore og Uvdal bygdetun

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Nore og Uvdal kommune

This audio guide is a collaboration between Bygdetunet and the Fortidsminneforeningen. Bygdetunet is located in Kirkebygda with a fantastic view of Uvdal. Nore and Uvdal municipality is located in Numedal one and a half hours drive north of Kongsberg Bygdetunet offers exciting experiences throughout the year. In the summer from June 1 to September 1, you can, among other things, participate in the mowing, enjoy local food, learn about agriculture in the old days and hear the buzz of history in and between the old buildings. In the winter, cultural evenings are arranged with many interesting themes. www.nore-og-uvdal-bygdetun.no/index.html About this audio guide: The narrator's voice is activated automatically as you move within the red circle surrounding each attraction on the map. Press "Download" and you will be taken into the map. Good hiking!

Audio guides available in:

English (British), Norsk bokmål

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Points of interest

#1

Skulestugu

This building and Prestgardsburet are the original buildings from Uvdal (originally Opdal) vicarage. When Uvdal was Christianised sometime in the 11th or 12th century, the farmers had to build churches and arrange an abode for the priest. Before the Reformation, Uvdal had its own parish priest. There has probably not been an unbroken line of priests living in Uvdal since then, but it is said that up until 1816, the parish priest often made Uvdal his home. The building was originally built to be a church hall and a residence, but when the priest settled in Nore, the vicarage, apart from the church hall, was sold. The building was then used as a courthouse and post office. Today, many call it the school cottage or the 'small school' because from 1895 to 1965 this was also a school for the youngest pupils in Kirkebygda school district. We still have the blackboard and a little desk from this time. The teachers lived in the two small rooms to the north - the pantry and the kitchen. Today you can buy locally produced goods here - beautiful filigree jewellery, knitted products and locally-produced food. We sell, among other things, Uvdalskling. 'Kling', which is the same as lefse (a kind of pancake), is a traditional staple. There are different varieties of this flat soft pastry all over the country. Uvdalskling is produced here in Kirkebygda.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#2

Uvdal Stave Church

Uvdal Stave Church was built around the year 1168. It was set up at a time when Norway had consolidated its position as an independent European kingdom, with its own church government. It was built as a central pillar construction, complete with nave, apse, aisle and roof tower, but what we see today is the result of various expansions and conversions. Before 1537, the church consisted of a single church room, an almost square nave where the roof tower was supported by a central pillar. The choir was quite small and ended with a semicircular apse. After the Reformation, the nave was extended to the west, the apse was torn down and the choir expanded. The church was probably not decorated until after the Reformation. Possibly the profiles on arches and other construction parts had been highlighted with brown-black tar, but otherwise there was no decoration. In 1656 the church was decorated. The colours used were ochre, red, grey, and white. At the same time, the pulpit was added. In 1620 came the first windows, then rows of benches for the congregation (previously these had been reserved for the sick and elderly). In 1720, the church was rebuilt as a cruciform church, and at the same time a corridor was demolished and the porch erected. One unusual artefact, a Limoges crucifix, was discovered hung up beneath the ceiling in the choir of Uvdal Stave Church, and is now stored at the Antiquities Collection in Oslo.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#3

The excavations

When restoration work is carried out on old buildings, things often come to light that tell the story of the building, and churches are no exception. In 1978, archaeological research was carried out in connection with restoration work. Over the centuries, many things have found their way down between the floorboards. During the excavation, post holes were found that are believed to be from an older building, most likely also a church. More than 500 coins, parts of buckles, needles and brooches were found. Pearls that may have belonged to jewellery, or perhaps to the rosaries that were part of a life of medieval piety, were also found, as well as pilgrim badges and various other fragments. Some well-preserved tombs also attracted attention. In one lay two children and two adults, without a coffin. Each was wearing clothes that were partially preserved, affording a unique insight into what these people typically wore. An attempt was made to reconstruct one of the items that was found. It is a gugel, a hood that ended in a long, trailing point. This was a fashion item in Europe in the 14th century, and is the only one we know of in Norway. How could it have ended up in Uvdal?

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#4

Sønstebøstugu

In the past, it was the family's job to take care of the elderly. A large number of children could be demanding, but it provided security in old age. Poor people without descendants to take care of them were left to beg when they were no longer able to work. Those who lacked housing were passed from family to family, or ended up in the poorhouse. Those who had a farm were taken care of in their old age by a system called 'kår' or 'føderåd', which came into effect when their property was transferred to new owners. The new owners were contractually obliged to allow the previous owners to continue living on the property, with rights to, variously, housing, livestock, food, clothing, fuel and care. The old owners then often moved to another property on the farm, called a kårstue. Sønstebøstugu is one such house. The living room still has its original interior. It has beautiful painted murals, and even the ceiling is richly decorated. There was not much cupboard space in the old houses, as food was kept in a stabbur - a separate store building. All food was cooked in the fireplace - the wood stove did not arrive until the end of the 1800s. Smaller cookware was placed on a fire iron, a stand with three legs, which was placed directly on the embers. Large cookware was hung from an iron bar that was built into the fireplace and could be adjusted as needed.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#5

Fiskebua

A fiskebu (fishing hut) is a small cabin used as living quarters and for storing fishing tackle. These are often found in inland Norway. In coastal areas they are called fjæremannshus or rorbuer. However, unlike these, which can have a frame construction, 'fiskebuer' are commonly made of interlocking planks or logs. This fishing hut originally stood by Krossvatn lake on Hardangervidda. It is made of 2.5-inch planed planks with a tongue and groove construction, and the materials were hauled in by hand in winter. Many such cabins were set up on Hardangervidda, as a replacement for the damp and cold stone huts on the plateau's interior. The decor is original, but the fireplace has been replaced with a wood stove. Adjacent to the cabin was a woodshed, which was periodically used as a bedroom. Fiskebua is from 1877, and if it could tell its story, it would certainly have a lot of exciting things to say. Over the years, many have visited this place, so these old walls have surely heard plenty of fishing tales. It must have been quite an experience for this little cabin to be hoisted up and transported to its present location by helicopter in 1995. Fiskebua was in use until 1988.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#6

The slag lump at the forge

The big lump you see in front of you is slag. Slag is the waste material from the manufacture of iron. Have you ever seen water-filled bog holes with reddish-brown water and something resembling oil on the surface? That means the bog contains iron. The first traces of iron production in Norway are from about 300 BC. In Nore and Uvdal there are many traces of iron production, especially in Øvre Uvdal. In Smådøl there is an older ironworks, dated to 440-650 AD and one of the largest in Buskerud from this time. Enough iron for 8000 swords was produced there. Extracting iron from bog ore requires knowledge of how to find and process the ore, and skill as a blacksmith. It can take several days to chop wood and make charcoal for the process. The bog ore must be excavated, dried and burned so that all organic material is removed. Then you have pure ore for the ironworks. The earliest shaft kilns consisted of a round pipe of clay built over a large, paved pit in the ground. In this pit, both iron and slag were accumulated. In the pipe, layer upon layer of wood/charcoal and ore were laid. The slag melts first and floats to the top, while the iron becomes soft and lumpy and accumulates in the bottom of the furnace.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#7

Setertunet

Droving played a crucial role in the yield of the farm. A farm could have pastures both near home and far away - in Uvdal some farms had pastures up on Hardangervidda's interior. They moved to the nearer pastures (heimsetra) in early June, in order to relieve the strain on the meadows at home caused by constant grazing. While there, it was important to keep the livestock from straying, so the cowherds had an important task. Moving to the farther pastures (langsetra) was often associated with superstition - it was considered important not to set off on a Friday. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday were considered auspicious moving days. The working day on the farm was long and demanding, often beginning at four or five o'clock in the morning. Many had both goats and cows, and with all the animals needing to be milked, and cream, cheese and whey to be produced thereafter, it was important to start the day early. The cowherds' cabin (seterbua) here in the yard is of a type called an årebu, which means that it does not have a fireplace and chimney, only an opening or vent in the roof. In addition to a cabin, there were often cowsheds, stables and barns on the property. The cowshed was used for milking and the barn for hay storage. All the hay was taken home in the winter.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#8

The summer house and Grønneflåtastugu

Here in the yard we have both a summer house and a farmhouse, both originally from the same farm. Summer was a hectic time for a farmer, but also for his wife, who was responsible for food preparation, housekeeping, and the children, in addition to being called on for haymaking. In the summer, therefore, the farm people often moved out to their summer lodgings, where there was less to keep in order and so that they could clean and do maintenance on the farmhouse. On many farms, the eldhus (lit. 'fire house'), which was often seen as the wife's domain, functioned as a summer abode in the same way. 'Sommerstugu' is furnished as it would have been when in use. It is now used as a museum building, and artefacts from the collection of Knut K. Brekke are exhibited here. 'Grønneflåtastugu' is typical of a period around 1800 when two-storey houses with a gangway along half the long side and the gable end became more common. Inside the house, the original wall and ceiling decor had been painted over, but these have now been restored to their original colours. In a room on the ground floor, the original decor was uncovered and has been preserved. A lot of the original furniture has also been preserved, and two of the three fireplaces have been restored. The kitchen is as it was around 1980. The house today is a museum building and is also used for events.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#9

The barn and the cowshed

In the past, farm buildings were located at a safe distance to each other due to the danger of fire. Over time, it became more practical to put barns and cowsheds together. The size of the cowsheds could vary and they usually did not have windows. It could be difficult to do the milking without light. The milkmaid would often work by the light of a piece of burning fatwood placed on a stone slab or held by a child. Windows arrived eventually, together with the sjåskinnslykt, a square lantern with panes made of animal intestines and a tallow candle inside. There was no fire or running water in the cowshed. Water was carried in buckets, usually from the eldhus. The barn is constructed of hexagonal logs, and it has two floors and is divided into three large rooms. A bridge goes up to the threshing floor, and the barns at each end are for storing grain and hay. In the corridors on both sides of the bridge, leaf sheaves were stored. Threshing took place in early winter; this was often done by hired labourers. Grain was not abundant, so it was important that the floor was sound and nothing was wasted. Today, the barn is a showroom for agricultural tools and branding axes.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#10

Species-rich hayfield

It is not only old building customs that are preserved here - it is also our goal to maintain and develop our species-rich hayfield. The kind of habitat designated 'species-rich hayfield' is severely threatened according to the Norwegian Red List of Habitat Types. Hayfields are the result of a long interaction between man and nature. Today, many species-rich hayfields are disappearing due to new farming methods. This also creates problems for many insects. For a hayfield to become rich in species, it must be cultivated year after year for generations. It is our desire to develop the hayfields here, so we follow a management plan set by NIBIO, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy. The meadow here is not sprayed and flowers are allowed to seed before the grass is harvested. All to the good for the farm, the insects and our cultural heritage. Every summer, a mowing day is arranged, where you can try your hand at cutting with a scythe, raking and making hayracks. Nore and Uvdal Open Air Museum is located in Kirkebygda in Uvdal. In 1999 this area was designated a locally and internationally valuable cultural landscape by the governor of Buskerud. The area is important biologically, ecologically and in terms of cultural history.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#11

Storskola

Ambulatory schooling was a scheme that came into being after the first Norwegian school law was passed in 1739. Where it was not suitable to gather students in a schoolroom, teachers travelled around and taught. In the early 1850s, the schools commission discussed whether there should instead be permanent school buildings, but this was found unthinkable, as only the rich could afford to send their children away to school, and local schools were considered of little use as the children had to herd the animals in the summer, among other things. In 1860, a new school law was passed. Permanent school was to be be the rule, ambulatory schooling the exception. In 1863, this school in Kirkebygda school district was completed. The children here were the first students in Numedal to have a purpose-built schoolhouse. The school was in use until 1965, in its last years exclusively for older students. At the door to the classroom you will find an overview of all the district schools that were eventually built. School material from different periods is exhibited in the classroom. Several former students have recounted 'a day at school', and these stories are available in paper copies in the classroom.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#12

Prestegårdsburet

You are now standing by Prestegårdsburet, which was originally part of Opdal vicarage. This 'stabbur' (storage building) is typical of Numedal, with two floors, the second floor having a passage on three sides and an enclosed passage on the other. It originally stood at ground level, but from the 18th century it became common to raise such buildings up on pillars. Usually there are steps up to the door, but in steep terrain, a large stone slab would be laid on the ground instead. In both cases, a long step must be taken to the threshold in front of the door. The gap is there in order to prevent mice or other animals from entering. The first floor of the storehouse was used for storing food while the second floor was where clothes were kept, and in the summer the farm girls would often sleep here. Prestegardsburet has existed in its current form since 1763. The timbers on the second floor have been dendrochronologically dated to 1626. The building may previously have been a simpler, one-storey storage room. The travel cot on the first floor reputedly belonged to a priest, while the shelves are from the main farmhouse. One of the coffins that was found during the excavations in the stave church in 1978, is now in the loft, now without its original contents. Prestegardsburet is listed as a protected building.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

Exploring Nore og Uvdal bygdetun

Points of interest