ØDEMARK GODS SINCE THE 1200S

Our History

Over 800 years of history, from monastery estate to manor

FROM MONASTERY ESTATE TO MANOR

Soul and History

Ødemark Gods has roots dating back to the Middle Ages and can be traced through hundreds of years of ownership changes, local initiatives, and shifts in land use. From monastery estate to royal domain to privately owned manor: a history spanning eight centuries.

1200

Øthemark and Sorø Monastery

In the 1200s, Ødemark, then known as "Øthemark", belonged to Sorø Monastery, one of the wealthiest monasteries in the country with extensive landholdings. In 1280, a dispute arose when brothers Tyge and Stig Jurissøn attempted to claim the estate, but Sorø Monastery retained the testamentary rights and continued as owner.

1536

The Reformation and the Crown's Takeover

At the Reformation in 1536, the monasteries were dissolved and their land passed to the Crown. Ødemark was then connected to Antvorskov Monastery, now a royal fief. King Frederik II often resided at Antvorskov and died there in 1588. In his time, large areas were designated as royal hunting grounds where game was protected. The boundaries were marked with approximately two-metre-high timber posts at 1½–2 kilometre intervals. The posts were later replaced by Frederik V in 1762. Traces of this era remain: one of the original boundary stones still stands on Ødemark Gods today.

HISTORIC LANDMARK

The Boundary Stone

After the Reformation in 1536, the Crown took over Antvorskov Monastery, and Frederik II established Antvorskov Vildtbane, a large royal hunting ground where hunting was reserved for the king alone, with severe penalties for anyone who illegally took game. The hunting ground ran in a great arc around Antvorskov Castle: from the Great Belt south of Drøsselbjerg, south of Havrebjerg, along the Tudeå river north of Nordruplund Forest, then south and west around Sorø Lake to Kirkerup and Tingjellinge, continuing west to Korsør Nor, where it ended at the Great Belt at Frølunde Fed. The boundary of the hunting ground was marked with stones, and one of the original boundary stones still stands on Ødemark Gods today. Carved into the stone is a crown, F 5 for Frederik V, the year 1761, and the letters AWB for Antvorskov Vildtbane. The stone once served as a doorstep at a now-demolished house on the border between Bromme and Tersløse, but today stands in the courtyard in front of Ødemarksgaard.

1664

Jens Lassen and the Admiral's Estate

In 1664, Frederik III transferred Ødemark to Admiralty Councillor Jens Lassen. Lassen had a military background from the Swedish Wars and later became a regional judge on Funen and assessor at the Supreme Court. He also built a fortune through trade and supplies to the Crown. During this period, Ødemark continued to function as a farm and estate under changing circumstances, gradually developing into a full manor.

1718

Urban Bruun and Ødemark Hospital

In 1718, Ødemark returned to the Crown, but Christian VI later transferred the estate to Councillor Urban Bruun. He died in 1742 and was buried in a marble casket in the chapel at Sorterup Church. His widow, Elisabeth Bruun, left a lasting mark on Ødemark's history. In 1744, she established Ødemark Hospital, a poorhouse providing shelter and firewood for five poor residents from the estate or from the parishes of Ottestrup and Sorterup. In 1785, the two churches were sold off. Census records give a concrete picture: in 1787, there were 36 residents on the estate. By 1801, 8 lived at Ødemark Hospital, 17 at Ødemark Huse, and 17 at Ødemarksgård.

1796

Frequent Changes of Ownership

After Elisabeth Bruun's era, a period of frequent ownership changes followed. In 1796, Valentin Hansen purchased the estate and improved operations so significantly that by 1805 he was able to sell Ødemark at a large profit to Hans Rudolph Grabow Juel. Following Grabow Juel's death in 1818, his widow Franciska Hieronyma took over. In 1821, the estate passed to their son Niels Frederik Grabow Juel, who sold it a few years later to H.J. Petersen.

1800

The Petersen Family and New Owners

Ødemark remained in the Petersen family's ownership until 1935, when the estate was sold to Herman Friedrich Acker. Later, in 1947, Ødemark was purchased by Helge de Plessis de Richelieu, a name connecting the estate to one of Europe's renowned noble families. In 1953, the estate was sold to the State Land Law Committee, and over the following decades Ødemark changed hands between several private owners, until the estate began a new chapter in 2005.

I dag

Ødemark Today

Today, Ødemark Gods is owned by Lars Kronshage. The estate stands as a clear example of a Danish manor's evolution: from monastery estate, to royal domain, to private ownership, carrying traces of royal hunting history, local engagement, and changing ownership across the centuries.