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Tingelstad old church

Tingelstad old church (Tingelstad gamle kirke), is a Romanesque stone church in Gran municipality, Oppland county, Norway. Dendrochronological dating shows that parts of the timber within the church was felled between 1219-1220. The original name for this church was "St. Petri Church", although presently it is called Tingelstad old church (Tingelstad gamle kirke) as it was replaced by a new church in 1866.

Tingelstad old church, west wall

This replacement was due to a law of 1851 which declared that at least 1/5 of a church's congregation should be able to attend its services.

The congregation also had a stave church (Grindaker stave church), but this was demolished in 1866, again because it was too small.

Interestingly, there were four other churches built of stone in proximity to each other; all located within 20 km of one another. One of these churches is gone, another is heavily rebuilt, but the last two are still standing. Those two are the Sister Churches on Granavollen.

Tingelstad old church has also at some point been rebuilt. At the west end, the gable-end is constructed of wood. In 1673 a report was made that describe the wall as brøstefeldig or dilapidated, necessitating reconstruction.

The spire on the wooden belfry dons a copy of a 12th century weather vane. The original vane is held in the Historical museum in Oslo. It is believed that it was once fitted to the bow of a warship. Although the church contains a few other original, medieval features such as a wooden crucifix and a stone altar, it is best known for its intact interior from the 16th and 17th century. The pulpit is from 1579 and is one of Norway's oldest. An altar frontal from 1699 can also be found inside the church. A unique mural from 1632 depicting the Dano-Norwegian coat of arms, has been partially revealed on the interior North wall.

1. Norges Kunsthistorie, Leif Østby, 1977
2. Hadeland Bygdebok, Dr. Anders Bugge, 1932
3. Hadeland Folkemuseum