Grinaker Stave Church

Model of Grinaker Church

The wooden Grinaker stave church was built in the 1100's. It served the Gran parish for over 700 years, although legend tells that the devastation of the Black Death caused the church to be forgotten for decades until a young shepherd boy stumbled upon it while looking for lost sheep!

Population growth in the early 1800's required that church capacity be expanded. A commission decided that both Grinaker and St Peter's (Tingelstad old church) should be abandoned in favor of a new church. St. Peter's, a stone church, was simply allowed to fall into disuse, but the stave church was torn down. The model at the left is on display at the Hadeland Folkemuseum. It was made by Lag member Paul Grinager and donated to the museum during the Lag's visit in Hadeland in 1990.

Site of the Grinaker church

Site of Grinaker Stave Church

photo by lag member Wendy Winkelman

Last update: February 08, 2021