Källa Church
Church environment
Källa church and cemetery located in the village “Vi” along road 136 in northern Öland. Previously, the main road passed near the church in the east but today it passes outside the village.
At the church is the small village with houses, and there is still a local shop. North of the church, in the village Källaberg, is the new vicarage located, it was built in 1955. The old vicarage, built in 1879, is located in the village Högnäs.
A few kilometers east of Källa Church are Källa old Church and cemetery located which was abandoned when the new church was completed in 1888. Källa old Church is currently used in the summers for concerts and weddings.
The Church
There has probably been a wooden Church in Källa, believed to have been built as early as in the second half of the 11th century. Traces from this early church haven’t been found yet though, but it’s believed that the location is just under the old church.
During the 12th and 13th century were, step by step, building segments in stone erected and added to the church, and the church in Källa became, like so many other churches on Öland at this time a defense church. In the middle of the 13th century the church had got the form it still has today.
In the period 1500-1880’s, when the new (old) church was completed, there were several renovations and alterations. Many of the repairs were extensive and in 1855 it was found that the church was in a bad condition and for the first time it was proposed that a new church would be built. Negotiations for the new church location started, and in 1880 it was decided to purchase land in the village Vi. The parish center, due to this decision, then came to move a few kilometers east to a more geographically central location in the parish.
The land, on 1½ acres, was purchased by Nils Persson at a cost of 600 SEK (about 60 Euro). Drawings were drafted by the engineering firm Hultqvist and Ackzell, Mönsterås, and further revised and processed by Louis Peterson. The work began in 1886 and two years later it was completed.
The building is characterized interior and exterior of the Neo-Gothic style and features. The chancel is located in the west and the tower in the east, this because the road earlier passed close to the church.
Memorial grove
The Memorial grove was laid out in 1998 in the northeastern corner of Block C. The area is surrounded by an arborvitae hedge. In the center is a large stone surrounded by two Dasiphora fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil). In front of the stone is a flower bed for summer flowers and lighting in the style of earlier time’s gaslights. The memorial grove has also a bench for visitors.
Buildings
West of the cemetery is a building that houses staff rooms, garages etc. The building has standing red painted wood paneling, black tin roof and white joinery.
Other
At the cemetery’s northwest corner, there is a parking for tombstones that have been removed from the cemetery. The tombstones are mainly from the period around the year 1900 and there are stones of both limestone and granite. On the outside of the churchyard wall in the east there are specific limestones fastened into the wall, the purpose for this was to tie the horses to them, when visiting the church.
Source: Kalmar Läns Museum (Kalmar County Museum)
Translation: Visitoland.com