Ås Church
Church environment
Ås Church is located adjacent to the eastern main road about 5 km from the southern tip of Öland and is the island’s southernmost church.
Both the church and the cemetery is located just inside the wide and high wall, “Karl X’s wall”, which cuts across the island and separates Ottenby “Kungsgård” (Kings demesne) with the rest of the Ås parish.
The environment around the church is made up of meadows and the Alvar heath, and from the tower you can see the sea. A little farther to the west lies Ottenby “Kunsgård” (kings demesne) and the church is located on the so called King farm lands. East of the church on the same side of the road is the local folklore societies cottage in Ås, moved there from Näsby.
The church
The first church in Ås was built in the mid 12th century. The church was consecrated to the saint St. Catherine and during its first two centuries its name was Ottenby church.
In the 14th century it got its current name. The church consisted of nave and a tower in the east.
In 1773 the church was ecpanded. Then the nave was extended to the west and a porch were added, builder was Henrik Wermelin. With its wooden barrel vault, Ås church became Ölands first Hall church. It is also Öland’s only preserved east tower church.
The top floor was rebuilt in 1820 and was then given the lantern for the bells. The reconstruction was led by master mason Johan Petersson from Kalmar. The church’s exterior was plastered for the first time, and the church was fitted internally with a wooden barrel vault.
In 1787 the church was painted inside. The church has two wood sculptures from the 18th century and in the ceiling hangs four brass crowns three of which are from the same century and one is from 1980. The most recent renovation was performed 1992 and it was then an exterior renovation.
Memorial grove
The memory grove is located in the middle of the north long side of the cemetery and opened in 2001.
It consists of a semicircular pavement of limestone with planting. In the plantation is a cast iron cross from 1860 with an angel and to the right of the cross there is a small wooden sign with the text”Minneslund” ( memorial grove). A blue glass ball is placed on the wall behind the memorial grove. Shrubs grow on both sides defining the grove to the east and west.
Buildings
In the cemetery’s northwest corner are two buildings. One is the former materials shed and it was built in 1807. In 1959 it was converted into the morgues. Today it is no longer in use as a morgue, and parts of it have been converted to public toilet.
The house is built of stone and has a plastered, whitewashed façade and tiled roof.
The smallerbuilding to theright of thematerialshed isa storage room,withunknownyear of construction. Ithas awhitewashedfacade andatin shed roof.
Both buildings have red-brown wooden doors.
Other
In the porch is a medieval grave slab, adorned with a cross, inlaid in the floor. The stone is probably from the 13th century.
Source: Kalmar Läns Museum, Kalmar County Museum
Translation: Visitoland.com