The guesthouse is one of two houses once part of a small village, called “cluster courts” until the 19th Century. The idea of “cluster courts” is today revitalized.
It was quite common that houses in the western parts of Nordhordland were built from wood from the district’s inland. This wood had often been used in earlier houses, or it was produced as a building set and sold. The wood in this house is evidently part of this tradition by being marked and numbered.
Haying, 1941. Two generations and horse
History of Kartveit Guesthouse
In the back: The two houses from the “cluster court”. In front: The barn
Haying, 1975
In addition, when looking at how the wood in the house has been handled, we can tell that it stems from different times and periods. By all probability the oldest part is from the end of the Middle Ages, sometime in the 17. Century.
The Catharina Chamber of the house has been named after St. Catherine. During Catholic times, the church at nearby Manger was dedicated to St. Catherine, and Kartveit has most likely been part of the church property. In fact, St. Catherine has most likely provided the area with its name, Kartveit. In the 1500’s, the place was called “Karinethuedt”, and over the years this has developed into “Kartveit.”
According to a different traditional story, a woman called “Catherina” was the very first farmer here, and the place was named after her.
What these two stories can tell us for sure, is that the name is derived from a woman who has made an impact.
The farm has belonged to the same family, the Kartveit family, from at least 1748. They continue to meet at their heritage house for family events and on special occations.
Around 1950
Haying, 1947. Everybody joins!
Magnar Kartveit (right), Mons Kartveit´s grandchild, celebrates his 69th. birthday with his brother Gunnar (left), and three generations of Kartveits. October, 2015.
The future of Kartveits: 3 year-old Ulla
Design: Maria Kartveit, Meeting Room 4