Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - Digital photograph, Denise Kinnane, Barn at Rabelofs, Sweden, 2007
The barn is situated near Råbelöv castle, and near the small medieval church adjacent to the property, that is a popular baptismal and wedding church. Råbelöv Castle is a castle in Kristianstad Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden.
The castle was built in 1637. In this year, Christopher Ulfeld Råbelöf's current main building, his and his wife's initials were still on the north end. He died in 1657 and was succeeded at Råbelöf first by his son Björn, then by his nephew Otto. Both died young, whereby Christopher's son Ebbe, married to
Hedewig, daughter of Christian IV and his second wife, Kirsten Munck, took office in 1663. In 1676 - 1678 Kristianstad was held by the Danes, but was besieged by Charles XI. The siege staff were located at Råbelöf, both on the enclosed yard and on a moat surrounded by a islet just west of the farm.
During this time, Råbelöf was held by Ebbe's daughter Anna Catharina, married to Carl Gustaf Skytte. The latter settled for a time in 1712 on the fortified island within the moat to protect himself from the then ravaging plague. From the Skåne trip in 1749, Linnaeus describes homes and a lovely garden with mulberry and walnut trees, grapes, lavender and white lilies in abundance.
The owner was then Anna Catharina Ridderschantz, married to Ludvig Gustaf von Böhnen. She made 1763 Råbelöf and Odersberga fidei committee for the benefit of her three daughters. The Fidei Commission letter is difficult to interpret when it comes to the time after the three daughters, something that several times caused bitter heritage disputes.
In 1782 the entire farm burned, the main building was badly damaged and the family moved to Råbelöf belonging to Odersberga, which then had completely new buildings, those that are still there today. Only in 1833 then did the fidei commissioner Fredrik von Rosen return to Råbelöf. The
main building had then been cut down and fitted with a new south gable.
According to fidei commission rules, Råbelöf returned to the von Böhnen family in 1864. Accession did not become presumed Celestine von Böhnen but instead her older brother Axel. Celestine was married to John William Kennedy. The fide commission went to her and John Williams son James
Kennedy. The family could then look back on a number of tortuous legal proceedings between John William and his wife Celestine on the one hand and Axel and his wife Elsa Maria on the other.
James was a chamberlain, sitting in the first chamber where he fought socialism. This led to the large agricultural workers' strike in 1907 that was concentrated on Kennedy's three farms Råbelöf, Odersberga and Hammarsjö. In 1906, his eldest son Douglas, the future fidei commissioner, took his life. Four years later another son took his life. James and his wife took the disasters hard, they fell ill. The young son Gilbert got in 1908, only 22 years old, took over responsibility for the farm. James son Gilbert Kennedy took over as Fidei Commissioner in 1916 and they became known as outstanding farmers with, among other things, grazing for dairy cows and fruit growing as specialties. He passed away in 1946 and was succeeded by his son Douglas, who gave continuity to Råbelöf's position with among other things, a new barn with loose running and slatted floors in 1965.
Douglas Kennedy held the farm 61 years before he passed away in 2007. He became the last fidei commissioner, the property became a fideicommissie corporation inherited by his sister-in-law John Murray, who in turn in 2010 left it his children Caroline Murray Karlsson and Johan Murray.
Since October 2014, Johan Murray has been the sole owner.Digital photograph of a Barn at Rabelofs, Swedenkristianstadt, kennedy, sweden, råbelöv, church, castle, barn
Ballarat Heritage Services
Ballarat Heritage Services