The Farm Ullestad

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The farm Ullestad was located in the area northeast of the lake Vagnsvatnet, about 100 kilometres east of Bergen, Norway. This area was called Vangen, and in old Norwegian it was written "Vangrinn" and was pronounced "Vanjen". The name "Vang" means meadow or an open area in front of a pagan building. Vangen is mentioned already in the 11th century, see further the chapter "Vossavangen til Heilag Olav si tid" in the Norwegian book "Vossaboki" by Lars Kindem.

The farm name Ullestad is mentioned in various documents as early as the beginning of the 14th century. During the 15th century various persons from Ullestad are mentioned in court documents. The farm was probably separated from the older prestegården (=parsonage) called Vangr.

The name was pronounced "Udlestò". In elderly Norwegian it was often spelled Ulfaldastaðir, or as an indirect object (to) Ulfaldastoðum. From the latter word the present name originates. Ulfaldastoðum is compounded by the elderly Norwegian word "ulfaldi" and "stadir" which is the plural inflection of the word place. Most of the "stadir" name originates from the Viking Age between 800-1050.

The part "ulfaldi" has an uncertain origin. On one hand "Ulfaldi" was a man's name and meant camel. From elderly Norwegian time we know of at least three men with the additional name "ulfaldi". In Snorri Sturluson's "Heimskringla" a Brynjólfr Ulfaldi from Ranrike is mentioned. He lived in the 11th century. In Vangen there might have lived another one which gave his name to the farm. On the other hand "ulfaldi" could be compounded either by "ulv" and "valdi" or "ulv" and "valla" which means "wolf owner" or "wolf meadows", see further the Norwegian article "Ullestad - Kamelstad" by Gunnstein Akselberg.

Map over Vossavangen in the Middle Ages. The oldest farm names are underlined. (From page 36 in the Norwegian article "Ullestad - Kamelstad ?" by Gunnstein Akselberg).

Ullestad was one farm until 1652 when it was divided into two farms, Øvre (=upper) Ullestad and Nedre (=lower) Ullestad. In the list of farms in Voss, the Øvre Ullestad farm is number 44 and Nedre Ullestad is number 45.

In a description from 1723 of the farm it is mentioned that there was a small field for hops but no mill and no fishing, and hardly enough of firewood. The farm was very easy cultivated and had quite good soil for growing barley.

To Øvre Ullestad belonged several crofter's holdings, the mountain pasture Skitset and the farm Ullestadteigen.

Skitset

Skitset is located north of Øvre Ullestad, on the south slope of the mountain Hangur. It was pronounced "Skisset" and the first part of the word indicates either that the ground was water-logged or that the pasture was poor. Another interpretation is that the view was wide from up there.

Skitset 2002-07-30

Skitset from above 2002-07-30

Ullestadteigen

Ullestadteigen is situated on the opposite side, i.e. the south side, of the lake Vangsvatnet. It belonged to Øvre Ullestad until 1775, when it was sold to Lars Knutson Haugo. The latter part of the word means a piece of tilled land.

Ullestadteigen, main building 2002-07-31

Ullestadteigen, view from the east 2002-07-31

View over Vangsvatnet towards Voss from Ullestadteigen 2002-07-31

Bu

One of the buildings at Ullestad was the Bu (=storehouse) which belonged to the old Kapellangård (=the chaplains residence). The Kapellangård was one of the four bruk (=small-holdings) at Ullestad in the 1740ies. The Bu was used for storage of meat and milk products. It was most likely linked together with an eldhus (=outhouse with a fireplace) with the roof ridge in the same direction, and was built in 1738 at the latest. Above the door the year 1738 is carved. In the 1770ies the Kapellangård buildings were moved to a new location nearby the vicarage. The Bu was donated to Fortidsminneforeningen in 1906. Due to the extension of the railway station in Voss it had to be moved to Gullfjordungen, nearby Lydvaloftet around 1913.

Bu fra Ullestad. 2003-08-02

Ullestad of today

Nowadays Ullestad is a part of the city Voss, and you will find the place were Øvre Ullestad was located just above the railway station.

The present estate Øvre Ullestad, located where the old farm Øvre Ullestad was situated. 2002-08-02

View over Vagnsvatnet from present estate Øvre Ullestad. 2002-08-02

Øvre Ullestad, view from south 2002-08-02

A map over Voss from 1933, showing the farm names, is included in Lars Kindems "Vossaboki".

A city map of today's Voss, showing the old farm names turned into city areas:

Sources:

Gunnstein Akselberg: "Ullestad - Kamelstad ?"
Oluf Rygh: "Norske Gaardnavne"
Lars Kindem: "Vossaboki"