Hamneda is a small town in Ljungby municipality and the church village in Hamneda parish which is located by the Lågan [LOH-gan] River. In 2010, there were 158 residents here. In and around Hamneda there are 590 known ancient remains, of which about twenty stone coffins from the Early Stone Age. The current church in Hamneda was built in the years 1889–1892 (according to drawings by the architect Fritz Eckert) and then replaced a church from the 12th century which was demolished in 1894. The old church was located a little further south on the Lågan River on the opposite, west bank. Hamneda had a landing on the Lågan River with a steamboat connection with Ljungby in 1884–1898, before the Skåne-Småland Railway was opened to traffic in 1899. Long ago, timber was hauled through the lakes and Lagan by steamboat. The [Lagan] flows many miles without rapids.
Churches Old and New
The original Hamneda church was built around 1350 and was located near the new church that was built in 1889. The old church was destroyed with dynamite after the new church was completed in 1890. Why? According to Wikipedia, another church in Umeå, Sweden, was destroyed because of a leaky roof and a badly damaged interior. One critic even described it as an example of “decadent architecture.” Maybe the old Hamneda church was in a similar state of disrepair.
The foundation of the old church is still there, across the road from the new church and cemetery. Grandpa Frank Lindgren was 16 years old in 1889. Aunt Ev thought that Grandpa Frank attended the new church for one year, but it may have been a few more. He didn’t leave Hamneda until 1893.
Outside the new church is a huge granite stone engraved with three bright lightning bolts. The stone apparently commemorates three church-goers who were struck and killed by lightning.
Inside the church sanctuary are pews and a high pulpit, higher than most American pulpits. The parson probably wielded considerable power in 1890, when attendance was mandatory. But far fewer Swedes attend the Lutheran State Church today.
SOURCE: sv.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=312509
[Info gathered by Linnae Coss. Converted from Swedish to English.]
2023 Visit
In August Anne Blitch, daughter of Ted Lindgren and granddaughter of Gilmore and Hazel lindgren, traveled with her family, husband Jim, daughter Betsy and son Jim (JD IV) to Hamneda. While there they visited sthe Magnusson famly home in Norratorp and made several other stops in and around Hamneda.
This video depicts their time at the Church and cemetery searching for the burial marker of Peter Magnusson and his wife Ingrid. Peter and Ingrid were parents of John, Frank, Selma and Jenny, all of whom emigrated to America and lived in or near the Iowa town of Lanyon. Watch the video by clicking here.