– It is absolutely fantastic. We could hardly believe our eyes when we read the report, says Anne Bolkesjø from Bolkesjø Gaard in Telemark. The farm has been in the family’s possession for many generations. For the past 100 years, the yearling room has been the hearth on the farm. It is the NTNU Science Museum that has analyzed the timber on behalf of the Heddal and Notodden museum team. – The plan was to dismantle the house and give it away to Heddal bygdetun, explains Bolkesjø. But when it turned out to be so old, they want to keep it themselves. ELDHUSET: The old building, which was first used as a residence, is 6.7×6.7 metres In the 1930s, it got a new foundation. Photo: Roald Marker / news Among the oldest in Europe Analysis of the annual rings shows that the old barn on Bolkesjø is 800 years old. The dendro report from samples in 11 logs, concluded that the house has timber felled in the 1220s. – We have many older buildings in Telemark, but it is a bit special that a former residential building is so well preserved, says a happy Eystein Andersen. – As usual, I reacted with joy when we got such an early date, he smiles. Andersen is team leader in the section for cultural heritage in Vestfold and Telemark county municipality and has written the documentation report on the year room. There he states that it is one of the oldest in Norway. The old timber that came to light bears the stamp of a different time. Årstua on Bolkesjø has been both a firehouse and a home. The timber is dated to the 1220s. Internal timber in what may be Norway’s oldest house. One of Norway’s oldest wooden houses at Bolkesjø Gaard in Telemark. Over the years, the house has been moved several times. – Yes, we actually do. It is one of the absolute oldest along with a few others that are dated to the same time, i.e. the first half of the 13th century. – Do you dare to state that it is the oldest in Europe? – No, but it is among the oldest wooden houses that have been used as housing, he states. In the documentation report, he writes: “Dating to the 1220s makes it one of the country’s oldest preserved farmhouses, together with e.g. Raulandstua from Uvdal dated to 1238 at the earliest”. Hewn with an ax The small barn had both interior and exterior cladding. Everything was removed for documentation and mapping. The old timber that came to light bears the stamp of another time. The timber has traces of having been cut with an axe. Photo: Roald Marker / news – Here we can clearly see that the timber has been cut with an axe, so this was built before sawing became common, says Anne Bolkesjø. The timber in the walls is black with soot. An oardstue is a residential building without a chimney, but with a fireplace in the middle of the floor. The smoke escaped through an opening in the roof. OLD TIMBER: The samples from the firehouse at Bolkesjø consist of timber from two different periods. The oldest is probably from the 1220s, the youngest around 1790, according to the report from NTNU. Photo: Roald Marker / news – High age value Over the years, the house has been moved several times. At the end of the 19th century, an older painting shows that the building was located as a firehouse down in the ground, south of the yard on the farm. At the end of the 1930s, it was moved again and got the current foundation wall with a cellar. The county municipality has carried out a condition assessment of the building. According to the documentation report, the building has low authenticity as a medieval building. It is nevertheless considered a valuable cultural monument “The age value is very high and must be seen in the context of the rarity of such old living room buildings.” (Documentation report, Vestfold and Telemark County Council) BOLKESJØ FARM: Gårdstunet has several old buildings. The fire house is on the right behind the farm building. Photo: Roald Marker / news Will try to save the house All the timber is numbered and must be dismantled before it is transported to Morgedal. Two carpenters will work there this winter to repair damage caused by rot and vermin. Eystein Andersen, team leader in the section for cultural heritage in Vestfold and Telemark county council. He is behind the documentation report for the county council. Photo: Roald Marker / news – The timber is unfortunately in poor condition. Now we will try to save the house, so that it can be used and preserved for future generations, says Bolkesjø. In the spring, the timber will return to Bolkesjø where the building will be erected again. There will also be an extension with a bathroom and bedroom. – We will assemble the house on a plot with a view of Telemarksfjella, with Lifjell, Mælefjell, Gaustatoppen and Blefjell. We intend to rent it out to tourists, explains Bolkesjø.
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One of Europe’s oldest wooden residential buildings stands in Bolkesjø – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
