Runstens Church
Church environment
Runstens church is located on the eastern fault line in the south of Runstens village. Past the cemetery to the west is the southern village street, and from the west the road from Glömminge connects.
Outside the cemetery wall to the west is the church grounds and across the road the parish hall and library in the old elementary school, built in 1865.
A little further west is today’s school that was built in 1949-50. North of the church is the vicarage which was built in 1828. The vicarage is still owned by the diocese, but now rented out as a private residence.
The Barn wing which to some extent represents the cemetery’s northern boundary line was built in 1702. North, south and west of the church stretches the village out. To the east lies the former leasehold from 1917.
The Church
Runstens first stone church was built in the 12th century, which on Öland was an intense period of church building.
The building originally consisted of chancel and apse in stone and a wooden nave. But relatively soon the nave was also built in stone and a tower in the west was added.
Over time, probably during the first half of the 13th century a tower in the east was also built, so that the building became a pack-saddle church. This was repaired and rebuilt in the following centuries.
In 1832 were the first drawings for a new church developed by Nils Lofgren Isaac. These were later revised by Johan Carlberg at Överintendentsämbetet (today The National Property Board of Sweden).
Demolishing of the old church began 1836, and in parallel the new church was built north of the old one. The nave was completed the same year, and the tower two years later. The work was led by master builder Peter Isberg, Algutsrum.
The new church exterior and interior are dominated by the neo-classical stylistic features such as the arched window openings and the light and airy church room. Of earlier churches movables and fixtures is one of the most prominent a baptismal font made of sandstone dating to the period around the year 1225. In the sacristy wall is a rune stone, and inside the church porch are older gravestones hung on the walls. Another old gravestone slab is located in front of the entrance to the porch.
Memorial grove
A memorial grove was inaugurated in 1994 in the northwest corner of the cemetery. Around an elderly tombstone, from the 18th century in which “memorial grove” is inscribed, is a flower bed and a place to set flower vases. In the area is a number of maples and the entire area are sown with grass.
Buildings
The morgue is located in a part of the vicarage old barn wing from 1702. This was done in 1961 and the proposal was developed by the builder Lage Olsen. The morgue is plastered in white, has doors of brown painted wood and a tiled roof.
Outside the cemetery wall to the east is a red wooden house with a tiled roof, facilitating staffrooms, storages and public toilets. The house was built 2003.
North of the staff building there is a small red painted wooden shed with pent roof. The building was moved there in 1962 from the vicarage, and it houses the parish hearse.
Other
A poor-box, from 1732, is right outside the main gate on the church grounds in the west. It was renovated in 2002 by Jan Erik Johansson, Norra Bäck.
A large number of gravestones which are no longer in use are placed along the cemetery’s eastern wall. The majority is from the 19th and early 20th century, but there is also one gravestone in limestone from 1772.
Several tombstones are made of cast iron but a large number are also of limestone. Several of the limestone’s are heavily overgrown with lichen and cannot be read. Parts of tombs and fences made of cast iron are displayed on the outside of the wall.
Along the southern side is small limestone’s standing with the graveyard row number on.
Source: Kalmar Läns Museum (Kalmar County Museum)
Translation: Visitoland.com