Hønefoss, Buskerud, Norway: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2026, Week 35 Theme: "A Spot on the Map"

One of my major goals on a recent trip to Norway was to visit the location my Grandma Louise Nelson Bardahl's family had come from. Grandma's parents were Carl Johan Nelson and Karen Nilsdatter; both had been born, baptised, confirmed, raised and married in the area of Hønefoss, Buskerud, Norway. As this was to be our first trip to Norway, I was pleased to learn that the town of Hønefoss, located just 63 kilometres northwest of Oslo, is easily accessed by road and rail. It proved to be so much more than a mere"spot on the map".

Norderhov Kirke, Buskerud, Norway photo by author 14 May 2026

Over the years of researching my Norwegian ancestors, I had developed a strong sense of the importance of the Lutheran Church in their lives. As the state church in Norway from 1537-2016, it was tasked with being the official record keeper for Norway's vital statistics; these were recorded in the kirkebøker (church books) available freely online at digitalarikvet.no.

Not being fluent in Norwegian meant that my word recognition was limited to the words around births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. Much of the nuance escaped me and I continue to discover more when I revisit records found some time ago. Part of the overlooking results from the organization of the parishes in Norway where the church records for parishes (sokn) under one main pastor might be grouped together in the name of his prestegjeld.

Entries relating to the Haug church are a good example of my failure to appreciate what I was overlooking. During the time of my  Hønefoss ancestors, the relevant prestegjeld was the Norderhov prestegjeld. It's easy to read the Norderhov church books and jump to the conclusion that any baptisms,  marriages or burials listed there would have occurred at the Norderhov kirke. In fact, the Norderhov kirkebøker include records for Haug, Hønefoss, Lunder, Viker as well as Norderhov churches. Sometimes records clearly indicate the relevant church -- and sometimes they don't.

Norderhov church book marriages 1795 - marriage of Torger Hanson and Sonev Nielsdatter

For example, the marriage of my grandmother's grandparents did actually occur at Norderhov Church ("Nordrehaug") on 7 April 1795 as shown in their marriage record (above). 

Norderhov Kirke, Buskerud, Norway - photo by author 14 May 2026

Grandma had visited Norway in 1967 and proudly shared the following photograph of the church associated with her parents and identified it on the back as shown. An examination of the steeples will show that her picture was not of Norderhov Kirke.

Grandma had identified it as being at Lucken (Løken farm associated with her family). It took just a bit of digging to determine that Grandma's picture is of Haug Kirke. 

Haug Kirke photo 14 May 2026 by author

Haug Kirke photo 14 May 2026 by B Graham Barnard

Upon our return home,  I revisited some of the old records I had found years ago to see if I could find more clues about certain events having actually occurred in this or any other specific church in the Norderhov prestegjeld. Here are the birth/baptism records for Carl and Karen, and, sure enough, a careful look under the baptism date shows "Haug". (And, yes, I do understand that Carl's record shows him to have been born to unmarried parents.)

birth and baptism Carl Johan Nelson (above) and Karen Marie Nilsdatter (below)

Other examples of records from the Norderhov kirkebøker indicate events from other of the local parishes in the group. For example, Carl's mother Guri Larsdatter's records indicate that she was associated with Viker (Wiger) Kirke.

Baptism record for Guri Larsdatter 31 May 1807 at Viker ("Wiger") Church

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Viker Kirke photo by author 15 May 2026

Viker is definitely farther afield from Hønefoss than Norderhov and Haug, as can be shown on the following map. For this reason, Viker became affiliated with Adaal rather than Norderhov from 1832. 

Map showing  Hønefoss town and area; Norderhov, Haug and Viker Churches - Google Earth

Because our time was so limited and the churches were of greater interest to me, we did not spend any time wandering around the town of Hønefoss. 

Hønefoss viewed from the train 29 May 2026

A couple of weeks later, on a train journey from Myrdal to Oslo we did pass through the area again and I snapped a few images from the train window. No longer just a spot on the map, I now have much better sense for the lay of the land and the interrelated nature of the local churches of the Hønefoss area.

Hønefoss area landscape from train window 29 May 2026 -Tyrifjorden

 

Borgund Stave Church: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2026 Week 34 theme: "Long-Lasting"

 

Borgund Stave Church - photo by author 28 May 2026

The Borgund Stavkyrkje in Lærdal, Sogn og Fjordane had been added to my "must-see" list for a visit to Norway after discovering a few years ago that I had ancestors from there. When we visited there earlier this year, it surpassed all my expectations and will form a long-lasting memory.

My Borgund ancestors are from earlier lines of my Dad's paternal grandmother Anna Elton (1849-1938). Anna emigrated with her  parents to America in 1854 from Vang/ Øye region in Norway's Valdres Valley, Oppland.  The distance between Borgund and Vang is about 50 km. Anna's grandmother Synneve Haakensdatter Kvamme, born at Øvre Kvamme (farm), Borgund was baptised at the Borgund Stave Church on 23 September 1791. Somehow she had managed the 50 km. trek by 7 August 1814 when she married Knud Emdressen Haalien at Øye, Vang in Oppland. (Interestingly, there is another stave church at Øye but that and the Vang area will have to await another visit.)

A map shows the geographical connections of the relevant areas.

Google Earth map showing locations of Borgund, Hatleberg, Kvamme, Oye, and Vang

1791 birth and baptism of Synneve Haagensdr at Borgens (Borgund), Laerdal

Kvamme stones at Borgund cemetery - perhaps distant relatives? photo by author 28 May 2026 

There may have been long-lasting family or community interactions between the two areas since Knud himself had third great grandparents from the Borgund area. In his case it was to the family farming the Hatleberg farm not far from the Borgund Stave Kirke: Anders Anderson Hatleberg (1612-1692) and his wife Gunvor Olsdatter. We drove past Hatleberg on our way to Borgund.

Hatleberg, Laerdal, Norway, photo by author 28 May 2026

Although the church books for Borgund do not begin until 1711, there are some census records available before that time, at least for the male half of the population.

1666 census (male) for Hatleberg in Borgund, Laerdal: Anders Anderson 53 and his 3 sons ages 4-20

Aside from records of my long ago ancestors in the Borgund area, the physical long-lasting evidence for the lives of all the people who called Borgund Stave Church "their" church is in the church itself. Dating from between 1150-1180, it has been a long-lasting feature of the community from medieval times. The pine trees used for the staves are believed to have been 150 to 300 years old when they were cut, making the trees themselves really long-lasting now. What stories they could tell!

The steeply pitched roofline highlighted with dragon heads is reflective of the Viking age while interior motifs are primarily Christian. Saint Andrew Crosses date from Pre-Reformation Catholic times. After the Reformation, the church was the parish church for the Lutheran Norwegian Church.

Looking up inside the Borgund Stave Kirke to the Saint Andrew Crosses, photo by author 28 May 2026

Even when it was decided in the 1800's that a "new" Borgund Church was needed, the historical relevance of this ancient stave church was appreciated. It was taken over in 1868 by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments which continues to preserve it and make it available for public visits. 

Metal collection tin inside Borgund Stave Kirke, photo by author 28 May 2026

The "New" Borgund Church (1868) sits just south of the stave church, photo by author 28 May 2026

Another feature on the site is the free-standing stave bell tower that covers the remains of the foundry where the church bell was cast; the bell tower itself is probably mid 13th century. 

Stave bell tower, photo by author 28 May 2026

The Borgund site acts as a physical connection to this long-lasting community of people who have called  this beautiful part of Norway their home. 

Author in front of Borgund Stave Kirke, 28 May 2026, photo B.G. Barnard

Suggested Resources:

• https://www.kringom.no/en/laerdal/borgund-stave-church
• https://www.stavechurch.com/borgund-stave-church/?lang=en
• Norwegian digital archives for church records and census information can be found at https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/