Sønderskov Manor

About

Sønderskov is a former manor house situated close to Brørup, 7 km southwest of Vejen, Vejen Municipality, in Southern Jutland, Denmark. The three-winged, white-washed main building dates from the 1620s and is surrounded by moats. It was listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places in 1918. It is operated as a museum of local history.

The first known owner of Sønderskov was Niels Lagesen Rudbek. In 1390, he owned Sønderskov and Nielsbygaard. By 1448, Sønderskov had passed into the ownership of Jakob Nielsen through his marriage to the heir of its former owner. As he was not of noble descent he was not entitled to own a manor and he therefore chose to transfer the property to Ribe Cathedral Chapter. It is not known when exactly the cathedral chapter parted with the estate but by 1483 it was owned by Henrik Steen, who was related to Jakob Nielsen's wife.

On Steen's death Sønderskov was divided between his son Niels Steen and daughter Anne Steensdatter. Anne Steensdatter eventually took over her brother's share of the estate. She brought it into her marriage to Thomas Galskyt. Sønderskov remained in the Galskytte family until the end of the century. A new main building with two diagonally placed towers was constructed in the middle of the century. Thomas Galskyt's two sons—who both owned Sønderskov—were both killed by fellow noblemen. In 1554, Peder Galskyt was killed by Johan Juel. In 1574, Otto Galskyt was killed by Jakob Skram.

Peder Galskyt's widow Bege Clausdatter survived her son Albert. Her son-in-law Christoffer Rosenkrantz was later executed for embezzlement. In 1600, she sold Sønderskov to Børge Rosenkrantz. He kept Sønderskov until his death in 1614, but spent most of his time on his Scanian estate Ørup.

On Rosenkrantz's death in 1614 Sønderskov was sold to Thomas Juel. He was already the owner of nearby Estrup Manor. Sønderskov's main building was destroyed by fire shortly after the sale. Juel immediately embarked on the construction of a new main building. The Renaissance-style building was completed in 1620.

In 1620, Juel completed a new main building on his estate.

Thomas Juel's nephew Manderup Due inherited Sønderskov from his uncle in 1648. He was also a fiefholder in Thy. His holdings were later passed down to his son Jørgen Skeel Due. He spent considerably more time on the Sønderskov estate than his father had done. In the 1690s, he purchased Føvling Church.

After Jørgen Skeel Due's death, the estate was taken over by his son, Jens Christoffer Due, who was heavily in debt. In 1720, he had to mortgage the estate to Hans Bachmann.

The ownership of Sønderskov was eventually transferred to Bachmann. He was only survived by his wife Christina Margrethe Bachmann (née Claussen) by one year. On her death in 1746 Sønderskov passed to their daughter, Christine Margrethe Bachmann, who three years later brought it into marriage to Samuel Nicolaus Claudius. He served as county manager of Løgumkloster. In 1753, he installed a new pulpit and altarpiece in Gøvling Church.

Claudius wanted to improve the management of the estate but ended up losing a legal dispute with copyholders.

In 1769, Claudius sold Sønderskov to Jens Fr. Wodschou. The next owner was Frederik Christian Otto Wedel Jarlsberg. His other holdings included Basnæs on Zealand and Glorup on Funen. He died at Sønderskov in 1779. The estate changed hands many times over the next decades while many of the copyholds were converted into freeholds and some of the land that belonged to the manor was sold off in lots.

In 1818, Sønderskov was acquired by Peder Momsen. The estate was subsequently owned by members of the Momsen family for over one hundred years.

In 1925, it was acquired by J. Bundsgaard in exchange for other land. The estate then once again changed hands many times over the next years. In the 1970s it fell into a state of disrepair. In 1986 it was acquired by master carpenter Helge Kragelund. He undertook a comprehensive renovation of the main building over the next seven years.

The first known owner of Sønderskov was Niels Lagesen Rudbek. In 1390, he owned Sønderskov and Nielsbygaard. By 1448, Sønderskov had passed into the ownership of Jakob Nielsen through his marriage to the heir of its former owner. As he was not of noble descent he was not entitled to own a manor and he therefore chose to transfer the property to Ribe Cathedral Chapter. It is not known when exactly the cathedral chapter parted with the estate but by 1483 it was owned by Henrik Steen, who was related to Jakob Nielsen's wife.

On Steen's death Sønderskov was divided between his son Niels Steen and daughter Anne Steensdatter. Anne Steensdatter eventually took over her brother's share of the estate. She brought it into her marriage to Thomas Galskyt. Sønderskov remained in the Galskytte family until the end of the century. A new main building with two diagonally placed towers was constructed in the middle of the century. Thomas Galskyt's two sons—who both owned Sønderskov—were both killed by fellow noblemen. In 1554, Peder Galskyt was killed by Johan Juel. In 1574, Otto Galskyt was killed by Jakob Skram.

Peder Galskyt's widow Bege Clausdatter survived her son Albert. Her son-in-law Christoffer Rosenkrantz was later executed for embezzlement. In 1600, she sold Sønderskov to Børge Rosenkrantz. He kept Sønderskov until his death in 1614, but spent most of his time on his Scanian estate Ørup.

On Rosenkrantz's death in 1614 Sønderskov was sold to Thomas Juel. He was already the owner of nearby Estrup Manor. Sønderskov's main building was destroyed by fire shortly after the sale. Juel immediately embarked on the construction of a new main building. The Renaissance-style building was completed in 1620.

In 1620, Juel completed a new main building on his estate.

Thomas Juel's nephew Manderup Due inherited Sønderskov from his uncle in 1648. He was also a fiefholder in Thy. His holdings were later passed down to his son Jørgen Skeel Due. He spent considerably more time on the Sønderskov estate than his father had done. In the 1690s, he purchased Føvling Church.

After Jørgen Skeel Due's death, the estate was taken over by his son, Jens Christoffer Due, who was heavily in debt. In 1720, he had to mortgage the estate to Hans Bachmann.