Mejlby church / Mejlby kirke, Øster Lisbjerg herred, Randers amt.

Mejlby Church, ab. 10 km north of Århus
Mejlby sogn, Øster Lisbjerg herred, Randers amt

Mejbly church was re-inaugurated 6/12 1874 after a thorough rebuild caused by dilapidation. It has a Romanesque apse, choir and nave and a tower to the west, which in 1957 was built above the ashlar porch from 1874. The Romanesque part is in granite ashlars, from preserved details are the apse arch with kragbånd and the bricked-up window with a monolit lintel. The north door of the nave has a relief-decorated thympanum ( lion and ropes), while the south door in 1874 was moved to the western entrance in the porch. Its framestones have rope-decorations and a fine lion relief, its thympanum three sitting figures; north of the door is an ahshlar with a high chessboard-field. The vaults from the Middle Ages were in 1874 replaced by a beamed ceiling.


The communion table is a free-standing pine box. The altar piece from 1934 is a copy from Joakim Skovgård, the frame is a copy from Thorvald Bindesböll. The earlier Renaissance altar piece hangs upon the south wall. Upon the north wall is a terribly re-painted Mary with child from a late Catholic altar piece. Altar candelabres from the late 1500s. Romanesque granite font with lion in low relief, birds and lions in the fields. A baptismal bowl with church name "Meyelby" and 1691. A baptismal jar from 1937. Simple pulpit from the late 1700s. In the middle storey a small museum with an iron bound door from the 1700s, five plaster figures and two gravestones.


Kalstrup was in 1450 conveyed by Niels Jonsen in Underup to Essenbæk kloster, in 1483 Peder Pallesen in Ålsrode claimed K. by law, K belonged to Øm kloster and in the 1600s it was under Kalø. In 1661 the king sold it to Gunde Rosenkrantz, in 1669 sold Erik Rosenkrantz of Vosnæsgård K. together with Skæring Munkgård to Jesper Thygesen, whose son Thyge Jespersen owned Skårupgård. Later owner: Thygesen, Bygballe, Mohnsen. In 1915 Udstykningsforeningen for Kaløvigegnen ( outparcelling).

Krannestrup belonged as an unbuilt field in 1459 to hr. Otte Nielsen Rosenkrantz of Bjørnholm acc. to sheet from Christiern and Anders Petz and was by the son Erik Ottesen Rosenkrantz in 1499 with much estate transferred to his late son Holger's children. Before 1552 it had buildings and was inherited in the family Rosenkrantz until 1654 when Gunde Rosenkrantz exchanged it to the Crown, from which he again bought it in 1661 and in 1662 conveyed it to his sister Dorthe Rosenkrantz; in 1690 it was owned by Jens Rosenkrantz of Faurskov. Later owners: Bielke, Hjersing, Degn, Behr, Wiid, Pind, Hviid. Owner in 1935: Niels Aage Arve.

Mejlby was among the estate which Erik Plovpenning's daughers Jutta and Agnes in 1263 (?) inherited after their father. Niels Andersen willed in 1302 his estate in M. to Øm kloster.

Names in the Middle Ages and 1600s: Mejlby (ab. 1399 Methalby); Krannestrup (* 1459 Kranistorp); Ogstrup (* 1451 Agstroppæ, Ogstruppæ); Bygballe (1610 Biugballe); Kalstrup (* 1433 Kalstrop).

There are no listed prehistorics in the parish, but there were 37 hills, all demolished or overploughed.

Source: Trap Danmark, Randers amt, 1963.


photo Mejlby kirke 2004 : grethe bachmann