Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1993, Page 80

84
ÁRBÓK FORNLEIFAFÉLAGSINS
SUMMARY
In the previous volume of Árbók, Hrefna Róbertsdóttir discussed an old building in
Blönduós in northern Iceland, the so called Hillebrandtshús, and what evidence there is on
its age. She came to the conclusion that it may originally have been built in 1733 in the neigh-
bouring trading place Skagaströnd. In the present article the author presents a different opin-
ion.
The author was requested by the local authorities in Blönduós to advise upon the restau-
ration of Hillebrandtshús, and then undertook a thorough investigation of the building and
written evidence that has a bearing upon on its story. He came to the conclusion in his report
that no traces were found in the building itself that supported the story that it was an old
building that was moved to Blönduós, but neither is there conclusive evidence to disprove it.
The measurements of the building in Skagaströnd interpreted as the predecessor of
Hillebrandtshús are only consistent with Hillebrandtshús, if it is assumed that they are
rather inaccurate.
Hillebrandtshús shows no traces that indicate that the building was moved. The building
at Skagaströnd that has been suggested as its predecessor was described as being in bad con-
dition in 1803, which is not surprising. It was common for 18th century timber buildings in
Iceland to last 50-100 years. When such a building was dismantled and moved it was
repaired. Rotten timber was replaced or repaired. The total absence of any traces of repair
strongly indicates that Hillebrandtshús was built of new materials in Blönduós, and has not
undergone any major repairs since then.
The author concludes that the age of Hillebrandtshús has not been proven either way.
The search for the oldest house in Iceland continues and there is much to indicate that
several of the buildings hitherto believed to be the oldest are not quite as old as they have
been thought.
NB: The author added the last five paragraphs as a postscript after new information came
to light while the article was at the press.
In the course of the repair work now under way on Hillebrandtshús it has become evi-
dent that the house is largely built from timber that had previously been used in a different
building.