History of Årås
Bygdegårdsföreningen Årås Kvarn (‘the Årås Mill community centre association’) was founded in 1983, and purchased the mill in order to have a place for the people who live in the area to come together. As work progressed ambitions increased, and it was decided that the mill should be outfitted to a sufficiently high standard that it could be rented out as a venue. In addition to being an active community centre, the mill is now a popular venue for weddings and parties.
In 1991, operations were expanded and the outermost two wings of the manor, Mejeriet and Drängstugan, were purchased. A few years later, these had been renovated and converted into a hostel.
In 2001 a new building, ‘The Smithy’, was constructed on the site of the old smithy.
In 2011, the manor house and the remaining two wings were purchased. Both the buildings and the park were very much in disrepair, and the association began restorations.
The Park: Thanks to considerable grants from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in 2018 and the tremendous work done by our amazing volunteers, we have been able to undertake many extensive projects. The park is now a beautiful piece of culture history, and a place for cultivation and recreation.
The Manor House: The exterior of the manor house has been renovated and restored to its former glory, and in time so too will its interiors.
South Wing/Leaseholder’s Residence: Since 2014 this building has been undergoing extensive restoration, focused primarily on preserving the original building as much as possible.
North Wing/The Shop: The north wing was built in the early nineteenth century, and housed a shop from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Cellar: This is the oldest part of the manor, and likely dates from the fifteenth century.
The Manor’s History
In its day, the manor was considered to be one of the finest in the area. Its golden age was the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when it was owned by the noble family of Gyllenstierna. The first owner we know of was Erik Eriksson Gyllenstierna af Lundholm (died in 1502), who was a member of the King’s council. The manor stayed in the family for over 200 years.
