Bredsättra socken

Bredsättra socken is a former socken of Runsten Hundred on Öland, Sweden. Since 1974, it's part of the Borgholm Municipality on the island of Öland, Sweden. It covers 29.11 square kilometers^[1] and had 251 inhabitants in 2000.^[2]

History

Bredsättra Church dates back to the 12th century, and the west tower is an addition from 1202-1207. The church, which was heavily rebuilt during the 19th century, houses several medieval furnishings. Bredsättra socken is mentioned first in a letter from c. 1320, and another from 1346. It had a harbor town of some importance, Sikehamn, during the Middle Ages, from which limestone was exported.^[1]

After the municipal reform in 1862, the responsibility for the ecclesiastical and civil organization of the socken was transferred to the Bredsättra parish and landskommun, respectively. The latter was incorporated into Öland's Köpingsvik district in 1952, and this in turn was incorporated into Borgholm Stad in 1969 and then Borgholm Municipality in 1971.^[2] In 2006 the parish became part of the Köpingsvik Assembly.

Geography

The socken is located on the eastern part of the island, on mostly bare, plain ground.

Archeology

The socken has some 200 archeologically important sites, many of them Iron Age burial grounds. A rune carving is held in the Skedemosse museum.

Sites of interest in Bredsättra socken

• Kapelludden, a marshland on the coast with a lighthouse
• Saint Birgitta's chapel, the ruins of a 13th-century chapel at Kapelludden

See also

• Mörbylånga

References

1. "Bredsätra". Svensk uppslagsbok (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 April 2014.
2. Harlén, Hans; Eivy, Harlén (2003). Sverige från A till Ö: geografisk-historisk uppslagsbok (in Swedish). Stockholm: Kommentus. ISBN 91-7345-139-8.

External links

• Archeological finds in Bredsättra socken, from Swedish History Museum
• Map with locations of archeological finds in Bredsättra socken, from Swedish National Heritage Board

Coordinates: 56°50′41″N 16°47′38″E / 56.8447°N 16.7939°E