Tersløsegård Well

The stone-lined well at Tersløsegaard
The vast majority of the approximately 30,000 protected ancient monuments in Denmark consist of burial sites from ancient times, with thousands of burial mounds and stone cairns still visible in the landscape. But protected ancient monuments can also be other things – for example, the beautiful, deep, stone-lined medieval well that you can see at Tersløsegaard in Tersløse, just south of Dianalund on Zealand.

Holberg's residence 1745-1754
Tersløsegaard is best known as the residence of the author Ludvig Holberg during the last nine years of his life. He acquired the farm in 1745, when he was one of Denmark-Norway's most famous authors and scholars. The purchase gave him a peaceful aristocratic retreat in the countryside where he could spend his final years – away from the busy academic life of Copenhagen.
Holberg mainly stayed at Tersløsegaard in the summer, but maintained his connection to the city and the university. With the purchase of Tersløsegaard, Holberg became a landowner. Tersløsegaard included relatively large land holdings and associated tenant farms. Holberg remained unmarried, and upon his death in 1754, he had also established a free widow's seat in part of the residence. Upon his death, he bequeathed Tersløsegaard and most of his fortune to Sorø Academy – a considerable gift that had a major impact on education and learning in Denmark. The main building was thoroughly restored in 1915 by architect Martin Nyrup and subsequently listed as a protected building in 1918.

Tersløsegaard – the village's largest farm
Tersløsegaard and the church opposite have always been the most prominent buildings in Tersløse, around which the other farms gradually formed the village before the land reform. Remains of foundations in the basement of Tersløsegaard also show the site's long history, dating back to the Middle Ages around 1300. The current building was constructed in 1737-40 and previously also had significant extensions to the west. From 2026, Realdania By & Byg has taken over the property, which no longer has surrounding land holdings. In the coming years, the site will undergo major restoration work and the Holberg Museum at Tersløsegaard will therefore be closed until 2028. Read more at Realdania By & Byg.

The well at Tersløsegaard
In the open area west of the main building lies the stone-lined well, which is approximately 17 meters deep and up to 2.5 meters wide, with a cylindrical shape that tapers slightly towards the bottom. The stonework is constructed of natural, uncut stones, which probably originate from the surrounding fields, and it can be assumed that the well around its upper opening was enclosed by a similar stone wall. The depth of the well is impressive, but it was probably necessary in order to reach stable water-bearing layers in the subsoil and prevent any drying out during dry summer periods. The original, probably wooden, hoist, which was essential for bringing water up from the well, is also missing. To protect the well from contamination by birds and other unwanted animals, it must also be assumed that there was some kind of wooden cover over the opening.

We do not know when the well was established or what form it took, but its central location – both in relation to Tersløsegaard and the other buildings in Tersløse – suggests that it has existed for centuries, perhaps in varying forms and designs. The well, which was a major construction project and required constant maintenance, can easily be assumed to have been important as a communal well in the medieval village community.
The self-supporting stone-built well has not been archaeologically investigated, but from similar structures we know that the bottom of the well often contains several lost or sacrificed objects, which may also contribute to the dating of the well.
Such stone-built wells are typical of both the Middle Ages and more recent times, when wells with a vital function were crucial to the lives and livelihoods of both animals and humans. The well was listed as a historical monument in 1971 and may well have its roots in the earliest settlement of the site from the 14th century.

The holy water
Wells were not just practical structures. In several prehistoric wells, deliberate deposits of pottery, tools, and animal bones have been found – clear traces of rituals. In addition to its practical functions, water has also had a special religious and symbolic significance since prehistoric times. Water from wells and natural springs was seen as a connection between the world of humans and the world of the gods, and it was a place where people could seek healing, fertility, and protection. In the pagan Norse religion, water and depth were especially associated with the gods Odin and Frey, which is why places with water were used in local worship. Here, one can think of the well as a kind of portal – a place where one could "reach" the gods.
This is also particularly evident in the holy springs of the Middle Ages, which were considered especially powerful on St. John's Night (June 23) in the older folk beliefs. Thousands sought out the holy springs and wells for healing and happiness. Thousands sought out the holy springs and wells for healing and good fortune. The powerful water could provide specific healing for all kinds of illnesses and ailments, and the Catholic Church quickly realized how to exploit this economically by, among other things, holding spring markets at the same time. The popular tradition of the healing and magical powers of water continued in many places well into the 19th century – and some still live on today, for example in the form of wishing wells.