Halsted Church

{{Infobox church | image = Halsted Kirke-crop.jpg | denomination = [[Church of Denmark]] | country = [[Denmark]] | location = [[Nakskov]], [[Lolland]] | name = Halsted Church | native_name = Halsted Kirke | native_name_lang = Danish | parish = Halsted Sogn | deanery = Lolland Vestre Provsti | diocese = [[Diocese of Lolland–Falster]] | completed = ca. 1100 | architectural_type = [[Romanesque architecture]], [[Gothic architecture]] | dedication = [[Saint Sampson the Hospitable]] }}

'''Halsted Church''' stands in the little village of [[Halsted, Denmark|Halsted]] some 6 km east of [[Nakskov]] on the [[Denmark|Danish]] island of [[Lolland]]. Dating from the second half of the 12th century, the church has a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] [[chancel]] and [[nave]], a large burial chapel from 1636 and a tower from 1877. The church was closely associated with [[Halsted Priory]], which has not survived.<ref name=natmus>[http://www.natmus.dk/uploads/tx_tcchurchsearch/Maribo_0593-0620.pdf Kirsten Weber-Andersen, Otto Norn, Aage Roussell, Gertrud Købke Knudsen, "Halsted Kirke"], ''Danmarks kirker: Maribo amt'', Volume 8 (Nationalmuseet, 1951), pages 593-620. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 14 July 2013.</ref>

==History== The granite church is first mentioned in 1177. It is therefore older than Halsted Kloster, the [[Benedictine]] priory with which it was associated from the 13th century until 1536. The church was dedicated to [[St. Samson the Breton]]. In 1177, the Crown's clerical appointment rights were transferred by [[Valdemar I of Denmark|King Valdemar]] to [[Ringsted Abbey]], which continued to have responsibility over Halsted Priory.

At the time of the [[Danish Reformation|Reformation]], ownership returned to the Crown, which retained it until 1719 when Halsted Priory was transferred to [[Jens Juel-Vind]] in exchange for [[Juellinge]] on [[Zealand]]. It was subsequently owned by members of the Juel-Vind family.

After the barony was dissolved in 1921, the church came under ownership of the adjoining main building, named Halsted Kloster.<ref name=natmus/> In 1987, Mogens-Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs returned ownership to the church itself.<ref name=nk/>

==Architecture== [[File:Halsted kirke, Lolland.jpg|thumb|left|Halsted Church]] [[File:Halsted Kirke - main entrance.jpg|thumb|179px|The main entrance]] The church was originally a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] building with a [[nave]], [[chancel]], [[apse]] and possibly a tower. Remains of the chancel and nave survive in the masonry of today's structure. When it became the priory church at the end of the 13th century, the chancel was extended to the east, its three-sided gable replacing the former apse. The church formed the northern wing of a four-winged priory of which nothing remains today. In 1510, the [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeckers]] burnt down the abbey, probably also destroying the church's Romanesque tower. During the 16th century the church was extended towards the west. A low tower was built at the west end and was rebuilt in the 1870s. In 1636, Borkvard Rud obtained rights to build the north chapel as a burial chapel for the owners of nearly [[Sæbyholm]]. The church was fully restored from 1868 to 1877.<ref name=nk>[http://www.nordenskirker.dk/Tidligere/Halsted_kirke/Halsted_kirke.htm "Halsted klosterkirke"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614061323/https://nordenskirker.dk/Tidligere/Halsted_kirke/Halsted_kirke.htm |date=2021-06-14 }}, ''Nordens kirker''. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 25 July 2013.</ref><ref name=beskrivelse>[http://halsted-kirke.dk/?location=2&page=164&subpage=78 "Beskrivelse"], Halsted Kirke. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 25 July 2013.</ref>

==Interior== [[File:Halsted Kirke interior02.jpg|thumb|The 15th-century triptych altarpiece]] [[File:Halsted Kirke interior05.jpg|thumb|Jørgen Ringnis auricular pulpit (1636)]] Vaults were introduced at the beginning of the 16th century, with three cross-vaults in the nave, two star-shaped vaults in the chancel and a five-sectioned vault at the end of the chancel. The late 15th-century [[altarpiece]] is a Gothic [[triptych]] with a scene of the crucifixion in the centre and saints and apostles on the two wings. The [[auricular style|auricular]] chancel screen from 1671 with the 11 apostles and Christ's baptism was probably crafted by [[Henrik Werner]]. A Baroque altarpiece which crowned the altar from 1750 to 1877, when it was replaced by the 15th-century work, can now be seen on the north wall of the chancel. The auricular [[pulpit]] (1636), displaying representations of [[Saints Faith, Hope and Charity|Faith, Hope and Charity]] as well as the arms of [[Christian V of Denmark|Prince Christian]] and Princess Magdalene Sibylle, is the work of [[Jørgen Ringnis]]. The font from c. 1750 is probably from the same workshop as the Baroque altarpiece.<ref name=nk/><ref name=beskrivelse/>

==Graveyard== Johan Wegner (1811-1883), pastor and headmaster of [[Rødding Højskole]], is interred in the graveyard.

==See also== * [[List of churches on Lolland]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Churches in Lolland]] [[Category:Romanesque church buildings]] [[Category:Gothic architecture in Denmark]] [[Category:Lutheran churches converted from Roman Catholicism]] [[Category:Churches in the Diocese of Lolland–Falster]]