Skiptvet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Skiptvet kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Skiptvet kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Skiptvet kommune
Østfold within
Norway
Skiptvet within Østfold
Skiptvet within Østfold
Coordinates: 59°28′50″N 11°8′40″E / 59.48056, 11.14444
Country Norway
County Østfold
Municipality ID NO-0127
Administrative centre Meieribyen
Government
 - Mayor (2007) Svein Olav Agnalt (Ap)
Area (Nr. 384 in Norway)
 - Total 101 km² (39 sq mi)
 - Land 93 km² (35.9 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 - Total 3,336
 - Density 36/km² (93.2/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) 8.7 %
 - Rank in Norway 251
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Bokmål
Data from Statistics Norway
Website: www.skiptvet.kommune.no

Skiptvet is a municipality in the county of Østfold, Norway.

Skiptvet was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

[edit] The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Skiptvet (Norse Skipþveit and/or Skygþveit), since the first church was built here. The meaning of the first element(s) is not known, the last element is þveit f 'clearing in the wood'.

Until 1889 the name was written "Skibtvet".

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1981). It shows a dragon - and it is based upon an old legend about a dragon living in the parish. (And a tarn near the church is still called Dragehullet 'the dragons pit'.)

(See also the coat-of-arms of Stjørdal.)