Places with a story
Gildeskål kirkested
Gildeskål kirkested brings an old stone church, a newer parish church, the vicarage and churchyard into one historic coastal setting. Its story includes the unusual period when the medieval church ceased to serve worship and was used for farming purposes.
The place1
Nordland Museum presents the old church as a twelfth-century stone building. Its eighteenth-century interior gives visitors a different historical layer from the medieval walls. A vicarage from the eighteenth century and the newer church from 1881 form part of the wider church site near Inndyr.
History and local connections1
After the newer church opened, the old church was used to store hay and accommodate sheep. A long restoration campaign between 1936 and 1962 returned it to a church role, with reconsecration in 1962. This history makes the survival of the old interior and stone structure a story of recovery as well as age.
What to look for1
The churchyard’s old gravestones provide another way to read the place, linking buildings with individual lives and local memory. Consider the old and new churches together: each belongs to a different phase in the parish’s needs. The museum’s interpretation draws these parts into a coherent church-site history rather than treating the medieval building in isolation.
Planning a visit1
The museum address is Kirkeveien 3. Nordlandsmuseet publishes information about seasonal opening and guided tours. Check its programme before planning to enter the historic buildings. The grounds have uneven terrain, and some old buildings have narrow doors. Contact the museum about your accessibility needs. Allow time to explore the grounds as well as the stone church.
Sources
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