Söderköping Skönberga

The Storå Valley was a densely populated area already in prehistoric times. The large Ramunderborgen hillfort, the court site near Skönberga, the royal desmene, the grave-field and early Christian burials, indicate a power concentration before and during the Missionary Age from 850-1050.
Skönberga is a Romanesque church which was built by stages – the oldest parts date from the rule of Bishop Kol in the 1170´s. The church is situated in rural surroundings including numerous prehistoric remains e.g. the Ljunga grave-field and court site, where there are about 100 structures dating from the Bronze and Iron Ages. There was also a royal desmesne (Husby) in the vicinity, and it is possible that Skönberga was originally a private church belonging to the manor. There was no official residence or capital city in Sweden – the royal family proceeded from one royal demesne to the next. The manors were owned by the “state” and were spaced at a distance of one day´s journey (on horse-back) from each other.

Söderköping is one of Sweden´s oldest towns, with its own civic legislation from the 13th century. At that time, the town was an important international port trading in the entire Baltic Sea region. It had a large German-speaking population, and was a centre for commerce and news.
By the end of the Middle Ages, land-rise meant that large ships could no longer dock in the port and so Söderköping´s importance rapidly diminished. The churches of St. Laurentii, Drothem and Skönberga, are the only remaining medieval buildings.

When the king had visited the court session at Ljunga and rested for some time in the royal demesne at Skönberga, he continued his route, presumably to the manor at Västra Husby, appropriately located about 20 km from Skönberga. The ceremonial royal route was probably undertaken in the winter, when the limited daylight hours prohibited longer journeys.