15: The clog makers house
Hus fra Vigerslev, nu i Den Fynske Landsby.
Kvisten på huset fra Vigerslev i Den Fynske landsby.
Krydsdokker i den sydlige gavl på huset fra Vigerslev i Den Fynske Landsby.
Vigerslevhuset, da det stadig lå i Vigerslev.
Intro
The Clog-maker's House (no. 15) is an example of the landless houses which increased sharply in number during the course of the 19th century. In these houses lived farm labourers, craftsmen etc., who existed by carrying out work for local farmers.
The present house from Vigerslev was built following a fire in July 1838. The house that burnt down was eight bays long and had a bake-oven and two chimneys. Using the insurance money, a new house was built on the same site. This was also eight bays long and was divided up into living room, two chambers, scullery and kitchen as well as two pensioners’ chambers, occupied by the house's previous copyholders.
In 1849, the spectacular attic or dormer was built onto the house. Behind this lies a chamber which, in subsequent years, was the living quarters of a journeyman shoemaker who lived in the house. At that time, the house comprised parlour, entrance hall, living room, scullery and bedroom as well as a beer cellar and pantry. The parlour, which had a wooden floor, had replaced the two pensioners´ chambers (the retired people were now dead). The entrance hall, living room and scullery had brick floors, but in the bedroom there was still a clay floor.
In 1891, there were further alterations to the house. It was presumably in connection with these that the house was extended with one extra bay to the south and three to the north, for a workshop and outhouse. At the same time, the second chimney was probably also built.
The Clog-maker's House from Vigerslev is a timber-framed building with a thatched roof and kragetræer on the ridge. In the house that preceded the existing house the walls were of wattle-and-daub, but when the new house was built in 1838, it was with a mixture of fired and unfired bricks filling out the panels.
The cross-studs in the lower panels of the south gable are mostly for decoration. The use of timber for decoration shows that there must have been a certain economic surplus when this gable was built.
The dormer/attic was an element most commonly seen on larger farms. Perhaps it was built following inspiration from Vigerslev Vicarage which owned the house until 1862. There was actually a dormer/attic on the vicarage building.
The farm is described in 1831 as follows: “It comprises a 29 bay dwelling house, equipped with a dormer/attic of 3 bays...It is of some age, but still in very good condition...”.
The cottage from Vigerslev was a landless copyhold house owned by Vigerslev Church. The house was sold off as freehold in 1862.
The inhabitants of the house made a living from their craft or trade. In 1801, the copyholder Hans Madsen was termed “Landless smallholder and weaver”. He lived in the house together with his wife, their two children, a maid servant and his wife's mother. At the next census in 1834, Hans Madsen still lived in the house, but with a new wife, Anne Cathrine Nielsdatter, who was 21 years his junior – and their son of 15 years of age. He is now referred to as a smallholder and butcher. The subsequent copyholder, Jørgen Hansen Ellegaard, who became the first owner-occupier of the house, made a living as a shoemaker and later also by dealing in provisions.
In 1871, Jørgen Jensen bought the house. He is referred to in the censuses as a rentier – i.e. someone who lives on his fortune. There was now more money in the house, but the 1890 census shows that part of the house was rented out to a carpenter/joiner family with two children so perhaps his fortune was, even so, limited. This family later took over the house where they lived up until 1924.