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The Limping Ghost of Fossesholm


After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a mind damage. Known as Halte-Birthe due to her limp, she is alleged to hang-out Fossesholm Manor to this present day. 

At Fossesholm Manor in Vestfossen, Buskerud, love is alleged to have left a wound that point itself couldn’t heal. This was the principle property of the Foss property , which was united in 1541–1548 by the lord of Akershus, Peder Hanssøn Litle , to achieve management over the worthwhile sawmilling enterprise within the space.

Learn Extra: Take a look at all ghost tales from Norway

When evening settles over the previous property and the bushes solid lengthy, trembling shadows throughout the empty buildings, some declare {that a} determine nonetheless strikes behind the upstairs home windows. She limps. She waits. And he or she remembers.

After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. 
Fossesholm: It’s mentioned {that a} limping ghost of a lady who used to stay at Fossesholm manor in Vestfossen is haunting it. //Supply: Wikimedia

A Damaged Promise

Within the mid eighteenth century, Birthe Svendsdatter lived a lifetime of privilege because the daughter of a rich household. Or was she? Some say that she was truly a servant woman at Fossesholm within the 18th century. And if not, she actually turned one after her tragedy. 

Her future ought to have been safe, however her coronary heart led her elsewhere. To a German officer in some variations of the legend that her mother and father didn’t suppose was ok to marry. She secretly held her personal wedding ceremony within the forest, a spot between Lier and Røyken. 

After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. 

However the ending wasn’t a contented ever after although. What occurred just isn’t recognized. Was she suffering from her mother and father who after they discovered concerning the wedding ceremony, made her life a distress? Was she betrayed by the person she beloved and carrying his little one, Birthe noticed no escape from her disgrace and despair. In a second of desperation, she threw herself from a second flooring window at Fossesholm Manor.

Loss of life didn’t declare her that evening.

As a substitute, Birthe survived with horrible penalties. The autumn left her completely crippled. She misplaced each her sanity and the kid she carried. What was meant to be an ending turned a destiny many would think about worse than dying.

Legend has it that after the mind injury, she couldn’t rely past three. Persons are mentioned to have teased her by asking what number of chickens there have been on the farm. To this, Birthe is alleged to have replied “one, two, three in a heap”. It’s mentioned that she was handled with nice respect by the manor home, however was unpopular among the many different servants as a result of she had been requested to gossip if somebody was not doing their job.

After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. 
The Ghost from the Tapestry: One of many motifs reveals a girl standing bent ahead and pointing on the chickens and turkeys which might be tripping round her. The woman’s title was Birthe and was known as hen-Birthe or lame-Birthe. She is meant to be haunting the manor home.

After this, her husband additionally leaves her and travels again to Germany. As soon as residence in Germany, he feels responsible, sits down to jot down a letter and the rescuer is once more Cappelen at Fossesholm. He writes to Cappelen and asks if he can use Birthe on the property. We are going to by no means know what Cappelen sends in response to Germany, however Cappelen builds a small home a brief distance out in direction of Lake Eikeren the place Birthe can transfer in. Birthe doesn’t need that, she desires to stay with Cappelen and his spouse at Fossesholm. 

A Life Diminished to Shadows

On the time, Fossesholm was owned by Gabriel Cappelen, who took pity on Birthe and allowed her to stay on the property. Some say that he was the one who stepped in and satisfied the priest to marry the 2 lovers. 

Regardless of her background and wealth, her life was decreased to that of a servant. The famend artist Eric Gustav Tunmarch was commissioned to color her, and the picture nonetheless hangs on the manor partitions immediately.

After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. After tragedy struck Birthe Svendsdatter, she threw herself from the window and ended up with a limp and a brain injury. Called Halte-Birthe because of her limp, she is said to haunt Fossesholm Manor to this day. 

Within the paintings, Halte Birthe seems bent and damaged, wearing servant’s clothes, feeding the farm’s chickens and turkeys. This even supposing she owned chests stuffed with wonderful clothes she would by no means put on once more. It’s a portrait not of dignity, however of quiet humiliation and loss.

Birthe died at 64 in 1788, recorded in church books as a pauper. However many consider her story didn’t finish there.

The Window on the Second Flooring

Locals whisper that Birthe by no means actually left Fossesholm. Late at evening, when the manor stands silent and deserted, witnesses declare to see a determine within the second flooring window. A lady who strikes inconsistently, eternally marked by her fall. That is the place she leapt. That is the place her life was damaged.

Some say her ghost is drawn again to that window time and again, trapped within the second when love failed her and despair took maintain. A reminder that not all ghosts are born from violent dying. Some are created by lives that had been allowed to proceed, lengthy after they need to have ended.

At Fossesholm, Birthe Svendsdatter is remembered not as the lady she was, however because the limping ghost she should still be.

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References:

FLERE GJENFERD SOM OGSÅ VILLE VÆRE MED – Issuu 

«Halte-Birthe» Eller «Hønse-Birthe» Fra Vestfossen – Sagnfigur Og Historisk Skikkelse – Historier.no

Fossesholm 

Sagn, spøkelseshistorier og dystre skjebner

Fossesholm

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