What if these fields could talk? What tales would Lyngballegaard tell? This farm stands near Sabro close to Aarhus. It boasts a rich history stretching back centuries. Lyngballegaard was owned by Aarhus Cathedral in the Middle Ages.
From the late 1600s to the early 1900s, Lyngballegaard was part of the Frijsenborg estate. Imagine the counts and countesses who once strolled these lands. Picture their elegant carriages arriving at the main building. The estate grew to become one of Denmark’s largest.
The main building is a whitewashed, single-story structure. It was rebuilt in 1846 after a fire. An inscription on a signal bell tells a fiery tale. Lightning destroyed the previous building in 1778. A central pavilion was added in 1913. It has a tall, pointed French roof. A large clock faces north from this pavilion. Lyngballegaard’s main building is not protected by preservation laws.
The farm buildings feature three wings. Two are detached with wooden trim and slate roofs. A wall connects the west wing to the main building. This creates an angled entrance to the courtyard. Another wing was added in 1932 after yet another fire. Lyngballegaard’s farm buildings are not protected by preservation laws.
Lyngballegaard includes a garden. The farm is partly surrounded by forests. These forests belong to Frijsenborg.
All the farms in Lyngballe village were acquired by Aarhus Cathedral Chapter in 1327. Lyngballegaard was established as a main farm. It had tenant farms under its control. In 1536, during the Reformation, the Crown took ownership. The Crown became the largest landowner in the country. Lyngballegaard was traded to Hans Rostrup in 1584.
In 1632, Count Valdemar Christian bought Lyngballegaard. He was the son of King Christian IV and Kirstine Munk. Valdemar Christian traded Lyngballegaard back to the Crown in 1646. Caspar Christoffer Gjersdorff acquired it in 1650.
Mogens Friis used Lyngballegaard to establish the Frijsenborg estate in 1672. Lyngballegaard’s production was relatively small in 1662. It only yielded 16 barrels of hartkorn from its own land. By 1850, the main farm had grown. It produced 29 barrels of hartkorn. The tenant farms added another 311 barrels.
In 1919, laws dissolved estates. They were to become privately owned. Frijsenborg estate had to sell off land. Troels N. Ravn bought Lyngballegaard. He sold it to his brother-in-law, J. Bech-Jensen, in 1926.
The Wedell family reacquired Lyngballegaard after World War II. In 2013, it became part of the Frijsenborg & Wedellsborg Land- og Skovbrug.
Lyngballegaard has seen many owners. Each one has left their mark on the land. From the church to the Crown to noble families. Lyngballegaard stands as a testament to Denmark’s history. The current owner is Bendt Wedell. Lyngballegaard continues as a working farm and forest. Its story continues to unfold.