Åfjord
Encyclopedia
Åfjord is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Fosen
region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årnes
. Other villages in the municipality include Revsnes
, Harsvika
, and By
. Åfjord is located on the northwestern side of the Fosen
Peninsula
, northwest of county capital of Trondheim
between the municipalities of Bjugn
and Osen
and to the west of Verran
in the neighboring county of Nord-Trøndelag
.
The municipality of Aafjord was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). On 26 March 1870, a royal resolution moved a small, unpopulated part to Aafjord to neighboring Bjugn
. On 1 January 1896, the Jøssund
area was separated from Aafjord to form a municipality of its own, leaving Aafjord with 2,419 residents. On the same date, the name of Aafjord was changed to just Aa. The spelling was later changed to Å. On 13 July 1934, the name of the municipality was changed from "Å" to "Åfjord". After that, the administrative centre in the municipality was referred to as "Å
" or "Å i Åfjord". On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Stoksund
was merged with Åfjord to form the new, larger municipality of Åfjord. Prior to the merger, Åfjord had 2,643 residents. On 1 November 1980, the postal service changed the name of the municipal center from "Å i Åfjord" to "Årnes".
: Ár). This name is the plural
form of á which means "river
", probably since there are two rivers, the Norddalselva and Stordalselva, that run together south of the farm. The name has varied over the years: Aafjord (1838 to 1896), then Aa or Å (1896 to 1934), and finally Åfjord (since 1934).
is from modern times. They were granted 1997. The arms show two stem
s of a boat to represent the special boats that are built in the municipality.
has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Åfjord. It is part of the Deanery
(prosti) of Fosen and the Diocese of Nidaros
.
s. On Dragseid it is said that the wooden boats were dragged over this thin peninsula
to shorten the journey and to avoid risking them in bad weather. Up to the Middle Ages
the Fosen Peninsula was recognized as a part of Sunnmøre
.
Prior to 1950, there were no roads leading into and out of the municipality. In 1950 the road to the neighboring municipality of Bjugn
to the south was finally finished. In 1955, the road to Stokksund in the northern part of the municipality was finished.
An old type of wooden boat, the Åfjord boat, comes from this area. The boat is a direct descendant form the old Norse Viking
boats. It is still being produced, although in very small numbers. The boat is rounded at both ends. It is known to be a good costal sailer. Different sizes exist. From the small "Færing" to the largest of them all, the "Fembøring".
, forestry
, fishing
, transport
(sea and land), aquaculture
(fish and shellfish), construction, and services. The largest employer in the area is Stjern (forestry, sawmill, entrepreneur).
The contractor, building, sector now employs about 19% of the working force, and is now larger than the agricultural sector.
, a couple of minutes by car from Årnes, and Stoksund/Revsnes
. Åfjord covers an area of approximately 1000 square kilometres (386.1 sq mi), with about 3200 residents— about one third of which live in the Årnes
urban area. During the last decades there has been a decrease of 100-150 people yearly. Many young people leave the municipality for school, university or work.
Åfjord consists of many small settlements—from the islands in the west to the highlands in the east. Traditionally, Åfjord has been an agricultural society, while Stoksund
in the west has had a more of a fishing
-based economy. There is an increasing amount of weekend houses and recreational cabins in the area. Åfjord has two big islands; Stokkøya
(380 inhab.) and Linesøya
(80 inhab). Stokkøya is connected with the mainland through a bridge Stokkøy Bridge
. The Linesøy Bridge
between Stokkøya and Linesøya is currently (2009) under construction, but the project is heavily deleayed. The other main island is Lauvøya near the south at the end of the Åfjorden.
The highest point in Åfjord is the 676 metres (2,217.8 ft) tall Finnvollheia. There are over 1,000 lakes with fish. Åfjord also has two major salmon
rivers—the Nordalselva and Stordalselva, which flow into Åfjorden. English Lords used to fish here in the late 19th century. The lake Stordalsvatnet
lies just east of Årnes
.
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is part of the Fosen
Fosen
Fosen is a traditional district in Trøndelag, consisting of the municipalities Osen, Roan, Åfjord, Bjugn, Ørland, Rissa, Agdenes, Snillfjord, Hemne, Hitra and Frøya. The district is dominated by forested valleys, lakes, coastal cliffs but also shallow areas, and in the interior mountains reaching...
region
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årnes
Å, Åfjord
Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake...
. Other villages in the municipality include Revsnes
Revsnes
Revsnes is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland in northwestern Stoksund area of Åfjord. The village lies near the south end of the Stokkøy Bridge, about southeast of the village of Harsvika on the island of Stokkøya. ...
, Harsvika
Harsvika
Harsvika is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the south side of the island of Stokkøya, in the Stoksund area in northwest Åfjord. The north end of the Stokkøy Bridge lies just east of Harsvika, connecting it to Revsnes on the mainland....
, and By
By, Norway
By is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located by the lake Stordalsvatnet, about east of the municipal centre of Årnes....
. Åfjord is located on the northwestern side of the Fosen
Fosen
Fosen is a traditional district in Trøndelag, consisting of the municipalities Osen, Roan, Åfjord, Bjugn, Ørland, Rissa, Agdenes, Snillfjord, Hemne, Hitra and Frøya. The district is dominated by forested valleys, lakes, coastal cliffs but also shallow areas, and in the interior mountains reaching...
Peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, northwest of county capital of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
between the municipalities of Bjugn
Bjugn
Bjugn is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The village of Botngård is the administrative centre of Bjugn municipality...
and Osen
Osen
is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Steinsdalen...
and to the west of Verran
Verran
Verran is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Malm...
in the neighboring county of Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
.
General information
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). On 26 March 1870, a royal resolution moved a small, unpopulated part to Aafjord to neighboring Bjugn
Bjugn
Bjugn is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The village of Botngård is the administrative centre of Bjugn municipality...
. On 1 January 1896, the Jøssund
Jøssund, Sør-Trøndelag
Jøssund is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is also a village in the present-day municipality of Bjugn. It is located about across the fjord from Lysøysundet and about northeast of Nes...
area was separated from Aafjord to form a municipality of its own, leaving Aafjord with 2,419 residents. On the same date, the name of Aafjord was changed to just Aa. The spelling was later changed to Å. On 13 July 1934, the name of the municipality was changed from "Å" to "Åfjord". After that, the administrative centre in the municipality was referred to as "Å
Å, Åfjord
Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake...
" or "Å i Åfjord". On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Stoksund
Stoksund
Stoksund is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northwestern part of the present-day municipality of Åfjord. The municipality included the island of Stokkøya and surrounding islets, plus the surrounding area of the mainland...
was merged with Åfjord to form the new, larger municipality of Åfjord. Prior to the merger, Åfjord had 2,643 residents. On 1 November 1980, the postal service changed the name of the municipal center from "Å i Åfjord" to "Årnes".
Name
The municipality is named after the Åfjorden. The first element is the name of the farm and the churchsite Å (Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Ár). This name is the plural
Plural
In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one...
form of á which means "river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
", probably since there are two rivers, the Norddalselva and Stordalselva, that run together south of the farm. The name has varied over the years: Aafjord (1838 to 1896), then Aa or Å (1896 to 1934), and finally Åfjord (since 1934).
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times. They were granted 1997. The arms show two stem
Stem (ship)
The stem is the very most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself and curves up to the wale of the boat. The stem is more often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively...
s of a boat to represent the special boats that are built in the municipality.
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Åfjord. It is part of the Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
(prosti) of Fosen and the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Åfjord | Åfjord Church Åfjord Church Åfjord Church is a parish church in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The church is located in the municipal center of Årnes, just east of the Åfjorden and west of the lake Stordalsvatnet.... |
1879 | Årnes Å, Åfjord Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake... |
| Stoksund Stoksund Stoksund is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northwestern part of the present-day municipality of Åfjord. The municipality included the island of Stokkøya and surrounding islets, plus the surrounding area of the mainland... |
Stoksund Church Stoksund Church Stoksund Church is a parish church in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The church is located in the village of Revsnes in the Stoksund area of Åfjord. The church is located right at the south end of the Stokkøy Bridge from the mainland to the island of Stokkøya.The... |
1825 | Revsnes Revsnes Revsnes is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland in northwestern Stoksund area of Åfjord. The village lies near the south end of the Stokkøy Bridge, about southeast of the village of Harsvika on the island of Stokkøya. ... |
History
There are archeological findings on many sites across the municipality. On Dragseid archaeologists have located grave moundTumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
s. On Dragseid it is said that the wooden boats were dragged over this thin peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
to shorten the journey and to avoid risking them in bad weather. Up to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the Fosen Peninsula was recognized as a part of Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
.
Prior to 1950, there were no roads leading into and out of the municipality. In 1950 the road to the neighboring municipality of Bjugn
Bjugn
Bjugn is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The village of Botngård is the administrative centre of Bjugn municipality...
to the south was finally finished. In 1955, the road to Stokksund in the northern part of the municipality was finished.
An old type of wooden boat, the Åfjord boat, comes from this area. The boat is a direct descendant form the old Norse Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
boats. It is still being produced, although in very small numbers. The boat is rounded at both ends. It is known to be a good costal sailer. Different sizes exist. From the small "Færing" to the largest of them all, the "Fembøring".
Economy
The people of Åfjord make their living from agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
(sea and land), aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
(fish and shellfish), construction, and services. The largest employer in the area is Stjern (forestry, sawmill, entrepreneur).
The contractor, building, sector now employs about 19% of the working force, and is now larger than the agricultural sector.
Geography
The major centre of the municipality is Årnes (also called "Å in Åfjord"). All major services of the municipality are located there. Other populated areas are Monstad/ÅÅ, Åfjord
Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake...
, a couple of minutes by car from Årnes, and Stoksund/Revsnes
Revsnes
Revsnes is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland in northwestern Stoksund area of Åfjord. The village lies near the south end of the Stokkøy Bridge, about southeast of the village of Harsvika on the island of Stokkøya. ...
. Åfjord covers an area of approximately 1000 square kilometres (386.1 sq mi), with about 3200 residents— about one third of which live in the Årnes
Å, Åfjord
Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake...
urban area. During the last decades there has been a decrease of 100-150 people yearly. Many young people leave the municipality for school, university or work.
Åfjord consists of many small settlements—from the islands in the west to the highlands in the east. Traditionally, Åfjord has been an agricultural society, while Stoksund
Stoksund
Stoksund is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northwestern part of the present-day municipality of Åfjord. The municipality included the island of Stokkøya and surrounding islets, plus the surrounding area of the mainland...
in the west has had a more of a fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
-based economy. There is an increasing amount of weekend houses and recreational cabins in the area. Åfjord has two big islands; Stokkøya
Stokkøya
Stokkøya is an island in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The island is located in the Stoksund area. The largest village on the island is Harsvika. The tall mountain Kamman is the highest point on the island....
(380 inhab.) and Linesøya
Linesøya
Linesøya is an island in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It lies about off the coast of the mainland of Åfjord, and southwest of the island of Stokkøya. The island also lies about north of the smaller island of Lauvøya...
(80 inhab). Stokkøya is connected with the mainland through a bridge Stokkøy Bridge
Stokkøy Bridge
Stokkøy Bridge is a concrete cantilever bridge that crosses the Stokksundet strait between the mainland and Stokkøya in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The bridge starts near Revsnes on the mainland and goes north to the island of Stokkøya near the village of...
. The Linesøy Bridge
Linesøy Bridge
The Linesøy Bridge is a cantilever bridge and causeway which connects the islands of Linesøya and Stokkøya in Åfjord, Norway. The bridge opened on 7 October 2011 and replaced the Kjerkholmen–Linesøy Ferry....
between Stokkøya and Linesøya is currently (2009) under construction, but the project is heavily deleayed. The other main island is Lauvøya near the south at the end of the Åfjorden.
The highest point in Åfjord is the 676 metres (2,217.8 ft) tall Finnvollheia. There are over 1,000 lakes with fish. Åfjord also has two major salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
rivers—the Nordalselva and Stordalselva, which flow into Åfjorden. English Lords used to fish here in the late 19th century. The lake Stordalsvatnet
Stordalsvatnet
Stordalsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake is located on the Stordalselva river which flows into the Åfjorden. The lake lies between the villages of By and Årnes ....
lies just east of Årnes
Å, Åfjord
Å is a village in the municipality of Åfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also called Årnes or Å i Åfjord or just Åfjord. It is the administrative center of the municipality. The village is located at the end of the Åfjorden, west of the village of By. The lake...
.
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Abstract:The biological diversity of Åfjord