Bolmen runt

Experience the Bolmen area and beautiful places with a history - all in Ebbe Skammelson's wake.

The legend of Ebbe Skammelsson

At the beginning of the 14th century, Ebbe Skammelsson came to Sweden from Scotland. For a time he stayed in Småland on the farm Tiraholm, then belonging to Bolmsö district. There Ebbe got engaged after a while to a noble maiden named Molfrid. After a while, Ebbe became restless and wanted to go out into the world before consummating the marriage. After an agreement with Molfrid and her parents, that the marriage be postponed for 7 years, Ebbe set off into the world. He would come back exactly on the day 7 years after the day of departure and on the same day Molfrid and Ebbe would become husband and wife.

For 7 years, Molfrid did not receive a sign of life from Ebbe and with her mother's consent she became engaged to another man. Now it occurred so unluckily that on the exact date that Ebbe would come back and marry Molfrid, she would become her new betrothed's real wife. Ebbe kept his promise and came back on the appointed date, in the middle of the wedding. Molfrid's mother, who saw Ebbe come riding into Tiraholm at full gallop, ran to meet him to warn him about what was going on.

In anger, Ebbe cut her head off. Then he rode up to the bride and groom and killed both Molfrid and the groom. Ebbe went to Rome, but could not stay there, so he hurried home to Sweden and confessed his crime. It was decided that Ebbe would be forged into 7 lispound of iron and spend a day on every island and islet in Lake Bolmen. As Bolmen has 365 islands and islets, he lived a year out in the cold, hunger and heat.

When the punishment was over, Ebbe went to Angelstad village and to Angelstad church. There he stepped on a large flat rock and the iron shackles he had left fell off. Ebbe probably felt that he would die on this stone and asked the people standing around to bury him outside the northern ring wall. After that he died on the stone and he was buried as desired.

From the iron Ebbe had been trapped in, 3 large crosses were made. 2 of those crosses can be seen on the gable crest of Angelstad church today.