Säby kyrka

in Swedish

To make it easier for those of you who don't live in Landskrona to find the church, the picture shows the church silhouette you should look for. But if the rapeseed has been harvested, the snow quietly lies around the church, or you arrive via another road, there is map help here.

A Church That Survived

In the book "Vår kyrka" it says: Säby church was mainly built in 1850. The choir and parts of the nave walls, however, originate from the 12th or 13th century. During the reconstruction and extension in 1850, the old tower and porch were demolished and the church was fitted with a barrel vault. A new tower with a spire was added in 1897. In 1978, the choir area was altered, and the church was made considerably lighter.

The history of Säby church almost ended in the mid-19th century when strong forces wanted to demolish the church and merge the congregation with Härslöv church. About the great church dispute ↓

If Landskrona was once meant to be the crown of the land in the 15th century, the name Säby comes from village by the lake (=Öresund)

The church seen from the east where the entrance used to be.

The Dispute Over the Church

The history of Säby church almost ended in the mid-19th century when strong forces wanted to demolish the church and merge the congregation with Härslöv church. Edith Hemby writes as follows…

Baron Werner von Schwerin of Zireköpinge had, by dubious means in 1816, succeeded in becoming patron (patronus ↗ svW) of Härslöv church. The promises he made to extend the church he never meant to fulfill. When his son, Carl Jules, inherited after him, these promises transferred to the son, and the authorities kept recurring reminders about them.

Provost Tullberg, who had been a tutor at Zireköpinge and owed a debt of gratitude to the Schwerin family for his parish priest position in Härslöv, wanted to help the young baron with his construction troubles, synonymous with financial troubles. General Cederström [of Säbyholm estate and among other things founder of Landskrona savings bank in 18336] promised his cooperation.

If Säby church, which was in rather neglected condition, could be sentenced to demolition, the Säby residents would be referred to Härslöv church and the church tithe from Säby would benefit young Schwerin. If this failed, at least the baron would be given a respite with the extension of Härslöv church through the time the investigation would take. The provost would perhaps also personally benefit if the plan succeeded: he would not have to preach at more than one church every Sunday.

So Tullberg went into action. In 1845, he requested an inspection of the church in Säby by the cathedral chapter. Professor Brunius came and inspected it. "Rarely does one see a house of the Lord that is more insignificant and dilapidated," was his verdict, and that was exactly the kind Tullberg wanted.

There was a visitation with, among others, people from the diocese, several priests, and church wardens from Säby and Härslöv churches. Provost Tullberg and General Cederström passionately argued that Säby church was poor and should be demolished. Many parties expressed opinions over the following months, and you can see and hear their tactics being refined in many meetings in the area at that time.

It came to a vote about merging the two churches, and Säby lost. The merger proposal was approved by both the bishopric and "KB" (Kunglig befallningshavande = the old name for the county board). Now the Säby residents turned to the King and stated that they pledged to provide funds for its restoration.

After that followed a tense period for the Säby residents

The Säby residents got a royal decree to keep their church, and the joy and gratitude were great. But now it was necessary to defend it from new attacks and start on improvements .... In 1850, the church was extended by a third of its length. The outer roofs were replaced, a barrel vault was created over the inner ceiling, the window openings were widened and new windows and doors were installed.

About Trees and Light

In earlier times, when people pollarded ↗ svW (roughly pruned) deciduous trees, it was done to produce fodder for cows and other livestock. Women and children helped with this work, which was done in early autumn. The word "knuthamling" comes from cutting the yearly shoots from the branches so that something resembling a knob forms at the end of the branches.

Today you see "knuthamling" e.g. in churchyards and avenues both in the countryside and in towns. In this way, the trees' sizes may be limited, less leaves need to be transported away, and the root ball is smaller.

When the church windows were opened up, more light came into the church. Today, when the church is mostly closed, an outsider must make an effort to see the interior. It would be practical to be able to press a button and the church lights up for a few minutes. Many would probably put a coin in a machine to experience that.

The map above is part of a Plan Program for Säby church village presented by Landskrona municipality in 2010.

In 2009, the Cultural Heritage Unit at Malmö museums published an antiquarian survey about Säby church. It focuses on the church’s external renovation but also describes many changes since the early 1700s. For the year 1775 it says...

1775 A new porch was erected where the older porch, destroyed during the Scanian war, had been

In 1866, director Tranchell (IDstory), the founder of the Swedish sugar industry, requested for himself and his family a burial site at Säby church. The grave has two sarcophagi and is still used by the family today. Since Justus Tranchell and his son Carl Tranchell have their own story about their lives and how they made Landskrona the center for the Swedish sugar industry, we will here briefly mention the many workers who toiled in the beet fields and their families. Here they rest together.

Life in the beet fields and at the sugar works was heavy and long with 11-hour workdays until many conflicts led to the law of the 8-hour workday passed by parliament in 1918. Around 1890, workers began to organize in trade unions, and the fight for higher wages and better working conditions intensified. The sugar workers’ union was the largest trade union in Landskrona and had 453 members in 1904. Carl Fredrik Hägg (IDstory) worked for 28 years at the sugar factory and has captured, in unique images, the difference between authorities and workers.

In one corner of the gravesite, nature has decided that it is possible to live with what people have created. It takes a long time and many people's efforts to build new industries, and nature too needs time to create its works.

Referenser

• Om BiBB, ett uppslagsverk 4.0
• Edith Hemby; 'Säby - sockerbetans socken'
• Landskrona församling
• Säby kyrkogård
• Text/foto/webb: Johan Schlasberg

Published: 2013.02 Updated: 2025.08.03