In the heart of Skagafjörður, west of the Héraðsvötn river and surrounded by the gentle hills of Langholt, stands Glaumbær. Today a centre of historical memory, Glaumbær has long been an important church site and farm. Its sod-covered houses and churchyard form a rare record of Icelandic rural culture stretching back to the beginning of Iceland’s history.
Settlement, sagas, and early Christianity
The first inhabitants of Glaumbær emerge from the pages of the Icelandic sagas. Þorfinnur Karlsefni, the famous explorer, and his wife Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir, returned from their journey to Vinland and purchased the land that became Glaumbær. Their son, Snorri Þorfinnsson, believed in the sagas to have been born in Vinland in the early 11th century, lived at the farmstead. According to the Saga of the Greenlanders, Snorri built the first church at Glaumbær, dedicating it to John the Baptist while his mother embarked on travels in southern lands. The same source recounts that Guðríður spent her later years as an anchoress at Glaumbær.
Through the centuries, notable chieftains and families shaped life at Glaumbær. One of the most illustrious, Hrafn Oddsson, served as local magistrate and was known for the legendary wedding feast he hosted for his daughter in 1360, inviting 360 guests. The family’s fortunes tied closely to the region’s politics; successive generations’ disputes with bishops and rival leaders sometimes cost them estates and influence. Archaeological finds in the area have uncovered remains of old pavilions, possibly linked to such grand gatherings.
Priests, legends, and the modern museum
Glaumbær’s church history is equally rich. In the Catholic era, two priests served the community: a household priest and a vicar. Leading up to the Reformation, the land was granted to the Hólar bishopric and established as a rectory. The parish gained a reputation as the most prosperous priesthood post in the region, with many serving long tenures. Among them, Gottskálk Jónsson, priest from 1554, earned respect as a scholar, producing the Gottskálk Annals and Sópdyngja, both significant examples of early Icelandic writing. Another celebrated priest, Grímúlfur Illugason (1697–1784), was known for his reputed magical abilities, which inspired local folk tales.
The present church dates to 1926. It replaced a wooden predecessor destroyed in a violent storm. The walls today contain pulpit panels thought to have been made in 1685, these were rediscovered after serving for years as weights for hay. In the churchyard rests the grave of Miklabæjar-Solveig, whose bones were interred there in 1937.
Today, the story of domestic life across Iceland’s past can be seen in the Skagafjörður Folk Museum at Glaumbær. The museum, established in 1948 and opened to visitors in 1952, uses the site’s preserved turf houses to showcase hundreds of artefacts, mainly everyday tools and objects from earlier times. Visitors can find thirteen turf houses in all, with six gables facing the courtyard, noted for unique stonework using very small stones, rare in this part of Iceland. Old timber houses from elsewhere in the area, such as Áshús and Gilsstofa, have also found new homes alongside the turf dwellings, telling the region’s story in wood as well as earth and grass.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
