Melum Church

About

Melum Church (Norwegian: Melum kirke; historically: Mælum kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Skien Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the village of Melum. It is the church for the Melum parish which is part of the Skien prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark. The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1728 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 150 people.

History: The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1354, but the church was not built that year. The first church in Melum was a wooden stave church that may have been built during the 13th century. That building was dedicated to St. Laurentius. In 1723, the church was sold into private ownership during the Norwegian church sale when the King sold the churches to pay off debts from the Great Northern War. This church, along with 13 other local churches, were purchased by the provost Peder Alstrup of the local Bamble prosti. At that time, the old church was in poor condition, so it was not long before the new owner decided to tear down the old building and replace it with a new church on the...