www.hallagarden.nu

Hallagården

2008

HISTORY
Old and new pictures from Lekhyttan
and the County of Lekeberg
&
Our Local History Museum

Hallagården

"Old photograph"

Hallagården & Tingsgården - Lekhyttan - The Ironworks - Farming - Markets -
Our Local History Museum

HALLAGÅRDEN - is a Mine Owner’s Residence with “fornnordiskt gårdstun” (yard surrounded by houses in an Old Norse tradition). (Picture 1 & 2)
The estate has fulfilled many functions during the last 400 years. It has been used as an Inn, a Coach Station and even as a Customs Station.
The Inns Pricelist makes entertaining reading, in particular the cost based on the mileage for saddle and bridle. (The whole of the Inns Price List can be found by clicking on this link: Price List from 1775)
The manor house was first built as a single storey building.
A second level was added at the end of the 18^th century.
The outhouses consist of; stables for horses and oxen, a barn, cow shed and grain store. These buildings have all been here since the 18^th century.

One of the oldest buildings at Hallagården is the farmhand’s quarters.
This building was used for the farm hands accommodation as well as the estates brewing. (Picture 3)
The Customs Station, which was used as the custom officers home, was built in the middle of the 18^th century on the grounds of Hallagården.
It was later moved to the village of Hidinge, but the building was brought back to Hallagården in 1979. (Picture 4)

Hallagården's forge has disappeared. The black and white picture shows the forge in situ - to the left of the entrance to Hallagården's Car Park. (Picture 5)

Tingsgården -1970

The "main road" in Lekhyttan -
Tingsgården -1970

View across the fields, from one of Tingsgården's outbuildings 2008

- TINGSGÅRDEN - Today our Bed & Breakfast

"Keeping the milk cold in the Lekhytteån (stream)",
picture taken in the 70s.

"The Brothers Farm",
picture taken in the 70s.

The two pictures to the left are part of a collection of photographs,
which can be found in one of our B&B rooms at Tingsgården.

Aerial photograph over Lekhyttan.

Lekhytteån
(stream) 2008

The Old Bridge over Lekhytteån
(the "Lekehyttestream").

LEKHYTTAN - is a village in the area called Bergslagen, situated near to the mountain range of Kilsbergen in the county of Närke. The main road E18 cuts straight through the village.
The village’s main income sources were from ironwork, farming and trade.
During the 18^th Century, you could find a large Tradesmen’s Fair
as well as a Cattle Market well established in the village.

The smelting works was made redundant in 1776.
The last smelting works was most likely built next to the bridge in the middle of the village.
The Swedish Central Board of National Antiquates acknowledges Lekhyttan, because of its well-preserved village environment and the County Administrative Board is showing a great interest in the village’s surroundings, because of its plentiful flora, which includes many protected plant species.

The last Village Shop. Closed 1967.

"Kolmila"
Charcoal Making

"Hyttbacken" in Klunkhyttan

THE IRONWORKS - It is said, that the iron works in Bergslagen, was the beginning of the industrialisation of Sweden. The iron ore was mined out of the mountain and processed in one of the areas “hyttor” (smelting works). Every house had their share in the village’s “hytta”. The share consisted of a time-share in the use of the “hytta” to process ones own ore into cast iron. The “personal” ore could have been mined by the villager him self or bought in specifically for their own processing.
One can read about Lekhyttan's smelting works, in the publication named “Lekebergslagen” from 1935, written by Morelius-Magnusson.
The making of charcoal was also very important for the running of the smelting works.
The actual smelting works was moved from Lekhyttan to the village of Klunkhyttan when Lekhyttan's “hytta” was made redundant in 1776.

"Hamlade" trees in Lekhyttan - December 2008

Lekhyttan's Sawmill 1915

"Hamlat" tree
2008

Horses were important for Farming and
Forest Work as well as in Iron Work.

FARMING - All the village farming was done on a small scale, based on the individual needs. The deciduous trees along the village road were “hamlade”
(the upper-branches were cropped) as an addition to the animals winter-feed.

Grain store at “Norra gården”. This was also used for storage of "every tenth" (each farms tax contribution at that time).

Carl Svensson of Hallagården recollects "The Market Life"

Medieval Winter Market at Hallagården Nov 2008.
MORE PICTURES

Medieval Market - Midsummer 2008.
MORE PICTURES

MARKETS - Lekhyttan was an important market place during the 18^th century.
The area called Västgötavretet was the site was they held the Tradesmen’s Fairs and the Cattle Market could be found at the Tullbacken (free translation "The Customs Hill").
You can read about Carl Svensson of Hallagården's account of the market life in the area, in the publication “Marknadsliv” (The Market Life), written by Christer Topelius.

OUR LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUM -
Don't forget to visit our Local History Museum here at Hallagården.

www.hallagarden.nu