Stenkumla church, Gotland

Stenkumla (Vol. II - III), parish church, is situated about 10 km south of Visby. The belfry has arch galleries on its southern and northern sides, to the west a round arched door-way and at about the same level as the galleries a round window with five round openings forming a cross. The lower set of sound openings are round arched with middle columns. The upper sound openings have pointed arches. The nave has four vaults supported by a central column. The south door-way has pointed arch and carved plant ornamentations in the capitals. The chancel has a round arched south door-way of which the side posts rest on the plinth.

On Gotland it is common that stone elements from an older church are re-used in the present building. In that respect Stenkumla is no exception.

Four samples of wood from the belfry are dated, but none of them has waney edge. The outermost annual ring in sample 'Stenkumla 8' is dated 1218. It is taken from a vertical pole, east, supporting the vault under the lower sound openings. According to a notation in the field diary the pole has waney edge, but that information could not be ascertained by examining the sample. One or a few annual rings might have been missing.

A stump from a scaffolding pole in the eastern wall of the nave has waney edge and is dated 1275.

The truss of the chancel is not medieval, but the outer side of the east wall contains mantle stack beams from the building period.