Places with a story
Fredmoen
Fredmoen is an old angler's house beside the Stordalselva in Åfjord. Its early twentieth-century interior and personal history connect international salmon fishing with local building reuse, wartime shelter and a community effort to preserve the property.
The place2
The property was originally called Elvemo and belonged to a smallholder under the vicarage. Edwin Martin bought it in 1899 and completed the present house in 1905. Timber dating during restoration showed that older logs had been reused. Parts of the outbuilding also came from Åfjord's former church, linking the house to local construction traditions.
History and local connections12
John de Grey rented the property from 1907 and bought it in 1910. He named it Fredmoen, meaning the place of peace. He later became the seventh Lord Walsingham. English ownership ended in 1989. The local association Fredmoens venner was founded that year to preserve the buildings and their history.
What to look for2
The rooms retain furnishings and memories from the anglers' period, including items recognisable from Walsingham's own account. The property's history is broader than leisure: during the Second World War it housed young local families, and refugees from Berlevåg stayed during the final war winter. These uses place the house within both local and northern Norwegian history.
Planning a visit1
Fredmoens venner publishes current visiting arrangements and contacts. Summer museum openings and private events have separate schedules, so check before travelling. A visit is most useful when the interior is available and the personal stories can be explained. Treat the surrounding river landscape separately from any fishing activity, which requires its own permissions and arrangements.
Sources
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