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Skard Church Farm

Region: West Iceland
Coordinates: 65.316° N 21.95° W

Skard is a farm, a church site and was a large estate for centuries in the Skardstrond County in the Dalir District. The farm is situated on a large, green ledge at the foot of a low mountain and down below, fields and meadows stretch all the way to the sea. This location offers an excellent view over the vast Breidafiord Bay and the mountain frame.

Sagas of Iceland According to the land register from 1861, the farm was rated among the three most valuable estates of the country. A myriad of islets, several outlying farms and rights belonged to the estate, and many hands were needed to exploit all the available advantages of the farm.

This farm is unique for the reason, that it has probably been the property of the same family since the turn of the 12th century, if not earlier.

The first settler, Geirmundur Heljarskinn, built his farm there and called it Geirmundarstadir, but no sources reveal its history until well into the 12th century.

One of the most precious and best decorated manuscripts of the country is the so-called Skard Book. It contains the code of law Jonsbok from 1281, which was and to some extent still is the law-book of the Icelanders. Another Skard Book contains stories of the apostles. It was sold to England and purchased again at an auction in 1965.

Skard is on nat.is West iceland Saga Trail

Skard Church in Icelandic

Photo Credit: The Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland