Egby Church

Church environment

Egby church and cemetery is located midway between the two villages Egby and Sandby along the road that runs from Föra in the north to Ottenby in the south along the eastern side of Öland.

The parish is located due east of Köpingsvik on the island’s northern half. The two villages are typical “row village” of Öland where the farms are aligned along the highway. East of the church was formerly the parish poorhouse. Today it is farmland and next to the church are several farms located with active farming.

The Church

The first stone church in Egby was probably built in mid 12^th century. Prior to this building a wooden church has probably existed but where this building stood is not known. The stone church consisted of a nave, a chancel with apse and vestry on the north side. Of this building remains today the chancels outer walls and the apse and nave wall in the south and the lower parts of the nave wall in the north and west.

In the late 12^th century and early 13^th century the church was rebuilt to a defense church, including a profane upper floor and in mid 13^th century the church porch at the nave’s south side was probably added.

During the 18^th century several repairs of the church was done, but in 1815 the building was in a deplorable state. In addition, the church became too small for the growing population of the parish. In 1817 the work with the extensive renovation of the medieval church began. Parts of the walls were rebuilt and in the west a tower was built. The work was led by the master masons Pettersson and Berg, Kalmar. The work with the church’s interior furnishing, fixtures and paintings took until the 1830s. The church has since this renovation undergone several repairs, the latest more extensive was done in 1959, and in conjunction too this, an investigation of the masonry was performed.

Memorial grove

The memorial grove is located north of the vestry along the cemetery wall. The area is surrounded by a common privet hedge. Into the memorial grove leads a pathway paved with limestone. In the northern part of the area stands a wooden cross with a flowerbed for roses and summer flowers in front it.

Buildings

In the cemetery’s northwest corner stands a building that today houses storage room and workshop. The building has a smooth plastered facade. The saddle roof is coated with tiles and the woodwork is painted black. The building is probably the shed built by Olof Olofsson 1774 that was used as a morgue. In 1800 it was decided to expand the building but it is not known whether the decision was effected.

Source: Kalmar Läns Museum (Kalmar County Museum)

Translation: Visitoland.com

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