As a crofter, you rented a small house, usually with around an acre of arable land.

The land and the house you lived in belonged to the farm it was located on, and the contract could be ended without reason and without compensation.

4-10 children

It was normal that a crofter family comprised of a man and wife, 4-10 children and one grandparent.

At the croft, one often had a cow and 4-5 sheep, but because the contract included compulsory labour, the land had to be farmed outside of the time spent doing the compulsory work.   

The crofting act

From 1851 crofting was regulated by the crofting act. This made a written contract and the right to one day off a week a requirement.

The number of crofters at Børstad farm varied over time, but there were about 10 crofts around 1900.

Svelund croft

Here at the eastern part of Børstadlunden was a croft called Svelund. The exact placement is not known, but the croft is mentioned on a map of the farm from about 1900. From where you stand now, it is possible to see some horseshoe-shaped mounds which may be the remains of a building related to the croft.

Photo: Ragnvald Andersen / Anno Domkirkodden (CC PDM)