The Farm at Skjern Bridge

Skjern Brogaard (Skjern Bridge Farm)

Originally a tenant farm under Lundenæs, Skjern Brogaard became the center of the area's first town, Skjern Bridge Town. The tenant, in addition to farming, collected tolls to cross the bridge and ran an inn. After gaining ownership to the farm in 1779, Peter Christian Petersen became a wealthy and respected man, and he rebuilt the farm into a stately property. Granite stones mark the size of the farm building at this time.

Skjern Brogaard experienced its heyday in the first half of the 19th century. As the place was the most important junction for crossing the river, it was also a natural location for court, jail, inn, post office, savings bank, lawyer’s office, polling station, etc.

But soon after, the Bridge Town and the Bridge Farm lost their importance: From 1850, the new main road led traffic and inn guests around Skjern Brogaard, and later the railway station was located 2 km further north and attracted residents, businesses and institutions. Skjern Brogaard became an ordinary farm with various owners. An idea to set up a museum in the farm failed, and the buildings fell into disrepair and were burned down in a civil defense exercise in 1975.

Bridge Toll
In the wide Skjern River Valley between Sønder Felding and the Skjern River mouth there were previously five crossings for people, cattle, and carts: fords, tow ferries, and wooden bridges. The most important one was between Skjern and Tarm. The royal lord at Lundenæs Castle was responsible for the maintenance of the bridge and had the right to charge for passage, and he leased toll rights to the owner of Skjern Brogaard. The bridge toll was profitable, but also meant large expenses due to frequent repairs, as the bridges were often damaged, even completely destroyed, by wear and tear and the violent current. The bridge toll was abolished with the opening of the new road in 1850, Skjern Brogaard lost a significant amount of income, making the building of the small, newly built “toll house” superfluous