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Raudasandur Church

Region: Westfjords
Coordinates: 65.4737576° N 23.9778328° W

The area named Raudasandur derives its name from the reddish looking scallops’ beach. Above it is a well-vegetated area framed with precipitous mountains teeming with birds. Those cliffs were beaten by the sea for a spell after the retreat of the Ice Age glaciers, before the land started rising. Such sand beaches are mostly limited to the northern part of the West and the Westfiord Area. There are a few patches of brush woods in the most sheltered parts and the fauna is relatively rich in species and individuals. Down by the sea were several fishing outfits in the past and the fishermen caught sharks and other fish species. The rocky mound Skaufholl is on the edge of the grasslands to the west of the farm Lambavatn. It offers an excellent view towards the unique, 14 km long and precipitous cliffs of Latrabjarg teeming with millions of birds. In the upper slopes of the mound is a freestanding rock called “The Ogre of Skaufholl”.

Rather a large sea lagoon, Baejarvadall, covers the easternmost part of the area. The dry and vegetated area to the west was relatively densely populated in the past, where the manor Saurbaer (also known as Baer) was situated. Rich farmers and their families occupied it for centuries. Among them was Sagas of Iceland Gudmundur the Rich Arason of the Vatnsfiord dynasty shortly after the turn of the 15th century. He lost his wealth to Bjorn the Rich Thorleifsson later on. aurbaer was also the seat of the district sheriffs in the 16th and 17th centuries. Saurbaer has been a church site as far back as remembered and the present church was moved from Reykholar after the old one was destroyed in a terrible storm. The abandoned farm Sjounda became well known for two terrible murders in the early 19th century. This event became the core of the novel Svartfugl by the well-known author Gunnar Gunnarsson.