Skrautvål Church
History
Christianity Comes to Valdres
Valdres was the last area to be christianized in Norway. It took 78 years from the first missionary
in Norway to come to the people in Valdres about 1023. The author of the booklet quotes the well-
known book Heimskringla, about how King Olaf Haralson (Saint Olav) met farmers in Vang and
Slidre. He forced Christianity on the people by burning some of the farms in the community, and
killing some of the inhabitants. Those who accepted his message were let go.
Towards The Reformation
King Olav Haraldson (Saint Olav) was not that much involved in rural districts, as it can be understood
from the Heimskringla that he was an unpopular man among the farmers. King Olav divided the country
into bishoprics (dioceses). Valdres belonged to the bishop in Stavanger until 1631, but in 1864 it came
under the bishop in Hamar, like it is today.
The Lutheran religion was believed to be unknown in Valdres when the reformation came in 1537. Most
of the Catholic priests were allowed to continue as Lutheran priests (ministers).
The Old Stave Church
The old stave church at Skrautval was situated in the middle of a field in Abol. After the reformation,
very little seems to have been done to preserve the church. Not much is known about the building itself,
but it was probably very small, and that the bells existed in a building for themselves beside the church.
The church was torn down around 1760. Some of the boards and other fixtures are used in the new church.
The pulpit, a cabinet, candlesticks, a silver chalice and silver wafer dish , a red velvet messehakel with a green
silk crossdecorated with silver embroidery, possibly from the last century, are used in the new church.
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Pulpit |
Communion Box |
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Old Bell |
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Alter |
Baptismal Font |
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Choir Loft |
Cemetery |