Assentoft

Location of Assentoft in Denmark

Assentoft is a town in central Denmark, located in Randers municipality in Jutland. The town is located 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Randers. Its population was 3,383 as of 1 January 2014.[1]

History

Remains of a mound from antiquity[2] - one of several within 2 km southwest of town - and of a midden from the Stone Age about 1 km northeast of the mound[3] - prove that the location of Assentoft has been inhabited for millennia. From the late Neolithic to the late Iron Age a settlement existed about 2.5 km northeast of the midden remains.[4]

During the late Iron Age and early Viking Age[5] a privately owned plot of land was called a toft,[6] so even though the name Assentoft is only attested since 1579 (Assentofftt) it is much older. The origin of Assen- is either esking (a stand of ash trees)[7] or the female name Āsgunn.[8] As people settled the surrounding land the name eventually referred to a whole village,[9] and in the 12th century Essenbæk Church was built[10] between Assentoft and the hamlet of Drastrup located about 1.5 km further northeast. Although the name Drastrup is only attested since 1465 it too is older, as trup referred to a hamlet during the late Viking Age and High Middle Ages.

In 1180 Benedictine monks established Essenbæk Abbey on the site of an annual pilgrimage on Saint John’s Eve, a font dedicated to Saint Lawrence, then about one km west of Assentoft. Enabled by generous donations the abbey - except the cemetery and mortuary - was eventually moved about one km further north to an island in the River Guden, and possibly in the 13th century the peasants of Assentoft became tenants of Essenbæk Abbey to enjoy its protection.

In 1739 the owner of Essenbæk Abbey had the first school in Assentoft built, and from 1786 a new road connected Assentoft directly to Randers - sparing the inhabitants of the former the southern detour that had previously been the only connection. The tenants bought the village in 1790 and parcelled it among themselves on 15 July that year, and in 1840 the school was demolished and a larger built in its stead.[11] The dilapidated Essenbæk Church was demolished in 1865,[12] and 1868-1869 a new Essenbæk Church was built in Assentoft after some disputes concerning the location.

In 1907 an even larger school was built in Assentoft which supplanted the previous one there,[13] and yet another in 1959. The latter was in 1989 administratively merged with the school built 1979 in Drastrup, and when in 2002 they were also physically merged Drastrup became a part of Assentoft.[14]

Beginning in 1947 the hills of Volkmølle at Assentoft were the venue of motor races, and the Motocross des Nations in 1955 attracted more than 40,000 spectators there[15] - at which occasion the first ever World Press Photo of the Year was taken.[16] In 1965 and 1966 the motocross world championships were raced on the hills of Volkmølle, but in 1969 the venue was abandoned due to lack of attendance.[17]

References

  1. ↑ DANMARKS STATISTIK. BEF44: Population 1. January by urban areas. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  2. ↑ Kulturstyrelsen. Assentoft. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  3. ↑ Kulturstyrelsen. Volkmølle. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  4. ↑ Kulturstyrelsen. Essenbæk. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  5. ↑ Byriel, Ellen (05.2011). A1061 (PDF). Amsterdam, Netherlands: RIPE Network Coordination Centre. p. 1. Retrieved 2013-10-27. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ↑ Gyldendal. Den Store Danske. Glostrup, Denmark: Jay.net A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  7. ↑ Becker-Christensen, Christian; Widell, Peter (1992). Politikens NUDANSK ORDBOG: A-K. Copenhagen, Denmark: Politikens Forlag A/S. p. 324. ISBN 87-567-5107-9.
  8. ↑ Gyldendal. Den Store Danske. Glostrup, Denmark: Jay.net A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  9. ↑ Byriel, Ellen (05.2011). A1061 (PDF). Amsterdam, Netherlands: RIPE Network Coordination Centre. p. 2. Retrieved 2013-10-27. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ↑ Danmarks Kulturarvs Forening. Essenbæk kirketomt i Assentoft. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  11. ↑ Byriel, Ellen (05.2011). A1061 (PDF). Amsterdam, Netherlands: RIPE Network Coordination Centre. pp. 1–21. Retrieved 2013-10-27. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ↑ Kulturstyrelsen. Essenbæk Kirketomt. Copenhagen, Denmark: DK Hostmaster A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  13. ↑ Byriel, Ellen (05.2011). A1061 (PDF). Amsterdam, Netherlands: RIPE Network Coordination Centre. pp. 17–21. Retrieved 2013-10-27. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ↑ Arkitektfirmaet Gorm Nielsen m.a.a. (10.04.2012). Randers Kommune: Udviklingsplan for folkeskolerne efterår 2007 (PDF). Kolding, Denmark: ScanNet A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-27. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ↑ Randers Kommune (2009-05-28). RANDERS MOTOR SPORT - 75 ÅR. Kolding, Denmark: ScanNet A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  16. ↑ World Press Photo (2009-03-25). 1955. Amsterdam, Netherlands: RIPE Network Coordination Centre. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  17. ↑ Randers Kommune (2009-05-28). RANDERS MOTOR SPORT - 75 ÅR. Kolding, Denmark: ScanNet A/S. Retrieved 2013-10-28.

Coordinates: 56°26′N 10°09′E / 56.433°N 10.150°E / 56.433; 10.150

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