Braathen Dendrokronologiska Undersökningar

Forshem

The churches of Forshem, Kinne-Vedum and Skälvum are situated in the same district about 25 km north of Skara. They are all built in freestone technique.

The truss of Forshem is made of oak and to the main part original (Fig. no. ...). Heavy capping pieces rest embedded on the outer rims of the walls. The tie beams are carefully cut and slightly chamfered. The main rafters are profiled at their upper part and intended to be seen from the congregation hall. Part of their outer sides are parallel displaced in order to create a horizontal fracture at the middle of the roof. The struts are slightly bulged on their lower sides and fixed near the centre of the tie beams by tenons and nails. The original chancel had an apse until the second half of the 13th century when the chancel was extended. The church has an abundance of stone carvings.

The date of its construction is determined by the felling year or the oak which supplied the north capping piece of the wall plate of the nave, that is within the period 1135 - 1137.