A low three-winged half-timbered building. That’s Kjærbygaard. Its unassuming appearance belies a rich history spanning centuries. Kjærbygaard wasn’t always a manor house. For centuries it was simply a farmstead run by tenant farmers. There was no main building. That all changed around 1679. Admiral Christian Bielke moved Kjærbygaard to its current location. He built the first structures there. Kjærbygaard’s history is long and winding.
In 1397 Erik Menved gifted Kjærbygaard to Alling Monastery. The Reformation in 1536 transferred Kjærbygaard to the Crown. It changed hands frequently. It passed to Hans Brun then to the Skade family and finally the Bielkes. Ove Skade who owned Kjærbygaard in 1658 had close ties to the royal court. He was a page for Christian IVs son Duke Ulrik. He was later bailiff in Roskilde. He also served on the royal council.
The first permanent resident of Kjærbygaard was Anker Jørgen Secher. He took over the farm in 1760. He constructed the current main building around 1768. It is a low three-winged building. It has a continuous attic in the middle of the main wing. Oscar Hansen later extensively renovated Kjærbygaard. He updated the facades and added historicist details. The garden facade however remains half-timbered. Aage Møller undertook further restoration in 1937. Architect Frederik Draiby led this work.
The original farm buildings were also half-timbered. They were destroyed in a fire in 1928. They were replaced by brick buildings. These buildings have stepped gables and eternit roofs. Kjærbygaard remains a working farm today. It is run by Henrik Bomholt Simonsen Michael Bomholt Simonsen and Børge Simonsen. They focus on forestry and agriculture. They raise pigs and cattle. They also cultivate grain and raise crops. The family also practices traditional forestry. Kjærbygaard’s history is a testament to the enduring spirit of a place that has seen many changes. Yet it remains rooted in its land.