Högsrums Church
Church environment
The church is located next to the road between Rälla and Gärdslösa. Around the church is pastures and Alvar (the typical Moorland of Öland). East of the church grounds is the parish house decorated in a whitewashed two-story house with a tiled roof from the 1820s. The house was formerly community hall, poorhouse and school. Downstairs there was teacher’s residence until around 1920. Since 1926, the Church has used the premises for church activities.
Just north of the parish house is the local folklore society house located, and the parish’s oldest schoolhouse is located close to the church. South of the church along the village road is Högsrum village.
The Church
In the 11th century there was probably a wooden church in Högsrum, but where this church stood is not known. During the first half of the 12th century a church of stone with a nave, chancel and apse was built on the site where the church stands today.
A tower in the west was added in the second half of the 12th century. This tower is to the greatest extent the one that exist today, as also the western gable of the nave is. In the south, there was a church porch but when it was built is not known.
During the 18th century the population increased in the parish. The church was equipped with a gallery and more benches were installed, but it did not help in the long run.
In 1821 a proposal for a new church was sent to “Överintendentsämbetet”( today: The National property Board of Sweden). This was processed by the architect Carl Gustaf Blom-Carlsson, who also designed the church in Persnäs.
To the medieval tower there was built a new nave with a chancel and sacristy in the east, and limestone from the old church was used for the construction. The work was led by master builder Leonard Lidman from Wij in Källa parish.
Since the church was built, several changes and restorations have been made. Among others a roof lantern was added to the tower in 1840.
The exterior of the church today is characterized mainly by neo-Classical features with arched window openings and portals. Also the medieval tower has a neoclassical touch now with the roof lantern made of wood. Even in the interior is the neoclassical features most prominent but there are also neo-Gothic elements in the pulpit and organ façade design.
Memorial grove
There is no memorial grove at the cemetery in Högsrum. Instead, there is a memorial grove in Rälla Tall belonging to the congregation, so the members of the parich who wish to be buried in a memorial grove are referred there. The Memorial grove was prepared in the 1990s.
Buildings
Inside the cemetery west of the tower there is a boiler room that was built in 1965. It is painted white with a tiled roof and a gray painted wooden door.
Other
Along the southern cemetery wall is part of the church’s former pillars of limestone.
Older decommissioned tombstones are placed along the northern churchyard wall. Some of them were previously buried north of the cemetery wall, but were found during excavation work. They were then taken care of and were put up at the wall.
In 1990 a place for meditation and prayer was prepared north of the church. Around and as demarcation are hedges of privet and crab apples planted. In the middle of the field, there is a fountain of limestone and around it are plants planted. Outgoing from the circle, in all cardinal points goes gravel walks. The design was made by landscape architect Peter Bergholm.
Several of the tombstones that are made of limestone in the cemetery are probably carved by local stonemasons.
Source: Kalmar Läns Museum (Kalmar County Museum)
Translation: Visitoland.com