Hjelme

Hjelme is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The 19-square-kilometre (7.3 sq mi) municipality was located within the northern part of the present-day municipality of Øygarden. It existed from 1910 until 1964. The administrative centre was located at Hjelme, where the Old Hjelme Church was located. The municipality included the main islands of Alvøyna, Seløyna, Lyngøyna, and Hernar as well as many smaller surrounding islands. The Fedjeosen strait was the northern boundary, the Hjeltefjorden was the eastern boundary, the small Nordra Straumøysundet strait was the southern boundary, and the North Sea was to the west.^[1]

History

On 1 January 1910, the western district of the municipality of Manger (population: 986) was separated to form its own municipality called Hjelmen. On 5 November 1912 the name was changed from Hjelmen to Hjelme by royal resolution. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Hjelme (population: 956) was merged with the majority of the neighboring municipality of Herdla to form the new municipality named "Øygarden".^[2]

Churches

The "new" Hjelme Church

The Old Hjelme Church (Hjelme gamle kirke) dates from 1875. Before the church was built, the inhabitants of the parish of Hjelme had to row across the Hjeltefjorden to either Hordabø Church or Manger Church. It is built of wood and has 180 seats. The church is no longer in active use since the new Hjelme Church (Hjelme kirke) was built in 1971. It was built of concrete and has 340 seats.^[3][4]

References