Kragerup

History

In medieval times, Kragerup referred to both a village and a farm of the same name. The earliest known mention of the name is Krakæthorp in 1327, when the nobleman Matheaus Jakobsen Taa held ownership. From 1356 to 1376, Jens Nielsen Neb owned the estate, and after his death, its ownership became divided among multiple people at once. Eventually, the Gyrsting family took control.

By the late 1400s, Oluf Mortensen Gyrsting had secured nearly complete ownership. Following his death in 1490, the estate went first to Eggert Andersen Ulfeldt, who died in 1505, and then to Peder Skram. In 1533, Skram sold it to his new father-in-law, Ove Lunge.

Lunge’s daughter Forthe was married to Claus Ulfeldt. When Lunge died, Kragerup passed to his grandson, Eggert Clausen Ulfedt, whose son Eggert Ulfeldt later inherited it. Eggert Ulfeldt was married to Elisabeth Galde. Through her second marriage to Jørgen Friis til Knastrup, Elisabeth Ylfeldt, formerly Galde, brought Kragerup into that union.

Friis family, c. 1590s – 1656

Jørgen Friis’s son from an earlier marriage, Christen Friis, who lived from 1581 to 1639, inherited the estate in 1610. He fought in the Kalmar War from 1611 to 1613 and became chancellor in 1616. In 1621, he built a new main building on a different site: a three-winged structure on an island within a lake just northwest of the village. He also expanded the estate by purchasing farms in nearby villages.

In 1627, Kragerup gained birk status. After Christen Friis died, his widow Barbara Wittrup kept the estate. In 1553, it went to their son Hans Friis til Clausholm. Hans Friis sold Kragerup in 1656 to Frederik Urne.

Juul family, 1656 – 1705

Urne was succeeded by his son-in-law, Ove Juul, who later became vice chancellor. Juul also owned Lundbæk-Pandum, Villestrup, and Bregentved. The estate then passed to his son, Christian Juul, who gave it to his sister Mette Marie Juul just one year later.

She also acquired the estate Kattrup. Mette Marie Juul married the estate’s bailiff, Povl Pedersen Lerskov, but he died in 1692. She remained on the property for another twelve years. In 1705, Jacob Lerche bought Kragerup and added Kragevik, consisting of three farms, and Nyrop, consisting of four farms, to the estate.

Did You Know?

• An octagonal table for board games executed in granite for Eggert Ylfeldt in 1577 has survived; it was used for alquerque and features his and his wife's coats of arms.
• The table was installed in a small, thatched pavilion in the garden and was drawn by Johann Gottfried Burman Becker when he visited Kragerup.
• A carved cupboard from the 17th century has also survived and is now located in the hall.