Stokkemarke Church

{{Infobox church | image = File:Stokkemarke kirke (Lolland) cropped.jpg | name = Stokkemarke Church | native_name = Stokkemarke Kirke | native_name_lang = Danish | country = [[Denmark]] | location = [[Stokkemarke]], [[Lolland]] | denomination = [[Church of Denmark]] | parish = Stokkemarke Sogn | deanery = | diocese = [[Diocese of Lolland–Falster]] | founded = | style = [[Romanesque architecture]], [[Gothic architecture]] }}

'''Stokkemarke Church''' is located in the village of [[Stokkemarke]] some {{convert|11| km|abbr=on}} northwest of [[Maribo]] on the [[Denmark|Danish]] island of [[Lolland]]. Dating from the middle of the 13th century it was built in the [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style with later additions in the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] period.<ref>[http://historiskatlas.dk/Stokkemarke_kirke_(5939) "Stokkemarke Church"], ''Historisk Atlas''. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 3 July 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Kunst_og_kultur/Arkitektur/Danske_kirker_S-S%C3%A5/Stokkemarke_Kirke "Stockmarke Kirke"], ''Den Store Danske''. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 10 July 2013.</ref>

==History== The church was dedicated to [[Pope Clement I|St Clement]] in 1396 although it was later associated with [[St George]], probably as a result of a panel from St Jørgens Hospital in [[Bregerup]] which hung in the church until 1878. A reliquary found in the high altar was a gift from Bishop Gisike of Odense (1286–1300), possibly a gift for the reconsecration of the altar on the completion of the [[apse]] which is just slightly older than the [[chancel]]. From the 14th century, the church was the property of the Crown but from the beginning of the 16th century, it was administered by Engelborg Manor on [[Nakskov Fjord]]. In 1687, it was transferred to the [[Roman Catholic bishopric of Odense|Bishop of Odense]] and later to [[Knuthenborg]] until it gained independence in 1912.<ref name=natmus>[http://danmarkskirker.natmus.dk/uploads/tx_tcchurchsearch/Maribo_0449-0466.pdf Kirsten Weber-Andersen, Otto Norn, Aage Roussell, Gertrud Købke Knudsen, "Østofte Kirke"], ''Danmarks kirker: Maribo amt, Volume 8'', 1951, Nationalmuseet, pages 449-466. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 10 July 2013.</ref>

==Architecture== The church consists of a [[Romanesque architecture|Late Romanesque]] [[chancel]] and [[nave]] and an [[apse]], [[sacristy]], porch and tower which were added during the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] period. It is built mainly of red brick with some fieldstone and with limestone trimmings. The chancel has corner [[lesene]]s and saw-tooth decorations. Both the north door and the former south door are now bricked up but traces of the original round Romanesque arches can still be seen. The tower is unusually large and almost as wide as the nave. The tower room has a pointed arch and a star-shaped vault. There is a small spire with a copper dome.<ref name=natmus/>

==Interior== [[File:Stokkemarke kirke - pulpit, detail.jpg|thumb|160px|Detail of the pulpit]] The chancel has a pointed arch and a vaulted Gothic ceiling in six segments. The original Romanesque windows in the nave were first converted into large Gothic windows with pointed arches before being replaced by today's smaller more modern windows which probably date from 1815. The cross on the altar dates from the end of the 15th century and was originally on the chancel arch. The Renaissance pulpit has four shell-shaped niches with figures of the [[Four Evangelists|Evangelists]] flanked by pilasters and covered with pointed arches.<ref name=natmus/>

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

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Stokkemarke Kirke}}

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