Bevtoft: Church History and River Landscape

Bevtoft can be explored through very different stories: the development of the church, the Gelså and traces of the Bronze Age in Bevtoft Plantation. Cultural history and landscape thus stand side by side as distinct focuses for your stay.

Church and Genforeningsstenen

Bevtoft Church dates back to a Romanesque chapel, which had already been expanded into a full parish church by the end of the 12th century. Its history therefore reaches back to the Middle Ages. Opposite the church, on Krügersvej in 6541 Bevtoft, stands the Genforeningsstenen i Bevtoft. The ten-tonne stone was erected on 22 September 1922 at the initiative of two Bevtoft residents, Jørgen Schmidt and Chr. Brink. It was funded partly through private contributions and partly with support from the Bevtoft Parish Council.

The church and the stone represent different historical periods: the development from a Romanesque chapel to a parish church on one hand, and a precisely dated memorial stone on the other. If you are travelling with children, these concrete examples can prompt conversations about different eras. The names of the two initiators and details about the funding also give the stone a story that goes beyond its weight and location.

The Gelså and its landscape

The Gelså near Bevtoft was restored to a more natural state in 1989. Today, the river winds through meadows again, approximately as it did before it was straightened in 1952. Comparing these dates helps make the landscape’s transformation understandable, without suggesting that its present course is exactly unchanged. As part of the restoration, the network of paths along the river and in the surrounding area was also expanded. If you plan to follow any of the paths, check their current condition before setting out.

The “Æ bette hyt” shelter is also connected to the river landscape: it is located in Bevtoft and offers views across the river valley to the Gelså. The view offers a different way to engage with the subject of water than the history of the restoration. Bevtoft can therefore be experienced not only through historic sites, but also through the interplay of river, valley and meadows.

Bevtoft Plantation: Watercourse and Burial Mounds

The small Valsbæk watercourse runs through Bevtoft Plantation. The plantation contains a total of six Bronze Age burial mounds. The watercourse and the burial mounds offer different points of interest: one is a named feature of the landscape, while the others are traces of the Bronze Age. Those interested in a place’s history will find another contrast in time here with the medieval church history and the stone from 1922.

A dog exercise woodland has been established in the northern part of Bevtoft Plantation. This may be relevant when planning your day if you are travelling with a dog; check the current designation before visiting. In November 2018, the Bevtoft Citizens’ Association also built the fire hut “Æ hyt”. A description from that time said it was free for everyone to use. If you plan to visit the hut, check its current use in advance.

Choose the right focus for your stay

When looking for a holiday apartment in Bevtoft, you can start by considering what interests you most on holiday. The church and Genforeningsstenen offer a focus on cultural history; the Gelså and Bevtoft Plantation are associated with river landscapes, paths and archaeological traces.

Families can explore the different periods: the church’s development since the late 12th century, the stone from 1922 and the Bronze Age burial mounds. If you would like to spend more time outdoors, you can explore the river restoration, the path network and the landscape features of the plantation. Which holiday apartment suits you depends on the places and themes you want to include in your trip. Compare the specific offers, using Bevtoft’s history and landscape as the context for your choice.

Discover more destinations: Sommersted, Flovt, Diernæs, Halk, Marstrup, Starup, Råde, Haderslev.

For the overview of the wider area: Haderslev Municipality.