Places with a story
Kirkeruinen på Husaby
Kirkeruinen på Husaby is the low stone outline of a medieval church on a historic farm in Skaun. The site brings together archaeology, the memory of the chieftain Einar Tambarskjelve and the literary world of Sigrid Undset.
The place1
The remains belong to a stone church associated with the Husaby farm. Its walls now rise only a short distance above the ground, but the footprint distinguishes the nave from the smaller chancel. The municipality describes the nave as approximately twelve by nine metres and the chancel as five by six metres.
History and local connections1
Husaby is traditionally connected with Einar Tambarskjelve, an influential figure in medieval Norwegian history. The ruin was investigated in 1848 at the initiative of Conrad Nicolai Schwach and the local heritage association, with further excavations in 1947–1950. A memorial stone to Einar was erected in 1950. The visible remains should be read as a church site rather than a surviving medieval manor house.
What to look for1
Look for the change in width between the nave and chancel and the nearby memorial. Husaby also appears in Undset's novels about Kristin Lavransdatter, where Kristin and Erlend live on the farm. That literary association adds another layer to the place, while the characters and their domestic story remain fiction rather than archaeological evidence.
Planning a visit12
The parish and municipal heritage plan provide information about the site and its history. Check local arrangements if combining the ruin with a guided visit or cultural event. Low masonry is vulnerable: stay off the walls and leave stones in place. The attraction is an open ruin, so viewing the layout differs from visiting a standing church interior.
Sources
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