Strong Women at Hafslund Manor
Throughout Hafslund’s long history, strong women have played a vital role in shaping the estate’s course, leaving their mark and inspiring activity both within and beyond its domain. At times, the estate has been under female ownership, as during the era of Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt, or guided by capable women who stepped in when their husbands’ interests lay elsewhere than in managing the estate and its timber trade.
A noblewoman with a passion for building
Birgitte Bjelke (1620–died before 1674)
Birgitte Bjelke came from a wealthy and building-minded family, where several of her siblings raised grand residences on their estates during the same period, including Austråt, Elingård, Vrem and Morland. Together with her husband, Daniel Bildt, she oversaw the construction of the southern wing of Hafslund’s main building in stone. This period of building activity is often linked to Bildt’s marriage to Birgitte Bjelke, daughter of Norway’s Chancellor Jens Bjelke, around 1655.
Early Strategist and Supporter
Helvig Tyrholm Christensdatter (1653–1692)
Helvig married Werner Nielsen early in life and gave birth to four sons. Her mother belonged to the Tyrholm family, who had been engaged in the timber trade long before Werner Nielsen arrived in Norway. From this lineage came several councillors, mayors and magistrates, and through this connection, her Danish-born husband entered a family tradition that provided him with a strong foundation to build upon.
Among their early innovations was the idea of transporting timber by river from Odalen – first explored by members of the Tyrholm family, and later developed by Helvig’s husband, Werner Nielsen, into a vital supply line for the Hafslund sawmills.
While little is known of Helvig’s specific role, as the only daughter of the resolute magistrate Christen Jensen, she was likely a woman of strong will and a keen mind.
Business-savvy Career Woman
Karen Werenskiold (1697–1778)
Karen was the daughter of Councillor Niels Werenskiold of Hafslund (1669–1741) and Elisabeth de Tønsberg (1673–1742). On 15 September 1719, she married the officer Hartvig Huitfeldt in Marstrand, in the presence of Tordenskjold and King Frederik IV. Together, they had two children: Sophie Rigborg Huitfeldt (1723–1776) and Matthias Wilhelm Huitfeldt (1725–1803).
When her husband, General Huitfeldt, passed away, she obtained royal permission to retain the estate undivided. She continued to manage the property and remained its owner until she sold Hafslund Manor to Peter Elieson in 1754. It is likely that she had, in practice, overseen the estate even before her husband’s death, and during her tenure the timber trade in fact grew.
She enjoyed considerable trust at the Royal Court and was granted jus vocandi – the right to appoint clergy to the churches under Hafslund, a privilege she actively exercised. In 1749, she received King Frederik V as a guest, and is said to have made a lasting impression on both the monarch and his closest advisor, Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, who in practice governed the realm.
In 1755, Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt was appointed Dame de l’union parfaite, a royal order awarded primarily to men, though occasionally also to women – most often of royal lineage. From 1757 to 1767, she served as Chief Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Juliane Marie, residing in her own apartments at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. The title of Chief Lady-in-Waiting represents the highest official position ever held by a Norwegian woman within the united kingdom of Denmark–Norway.
Karen passed away at her manor in Næstved on Sjælland, but her remains were brought back to Norway. There, she was laid to rest alongside her husband in the Werenskiold–Huitfeldt family chapel, built in 1753 in the churchyard of Skjeberg Church.
With a flair for the spectacular and a touch of glamour
Anna Collett (1731–1772)
Anna was the daughter of the businessman and timber merchant Peter Collett. According to one of Hafslund’s enduring legends, after the main building had burned down, she asked for a glass to be brought to her and raised a toast to a new Hafslund. The gesture alone speaks to her remarkable strength of spirit.
Anna was raised with her sister in Copenhagen, where she later married Peter Elieson. Her family belonged to the inner circle of Christiania’s elite, the wealthy merchant family Collett. Her brothers, along with her sister Mathia, were active in trade and the timber business. Mathia’s role as an independent businesswoman offers a glimpse into what was possible for women in the late 18th century, and speaks to the values and upbringing shared within the family.
Mathia was married twice, first to Morten Leuch of Bogstad and later to Bernt Anker. The entire family shared a strong interest in culture and the arts. Her sister Ditlevine was a writer and contributor to Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, as well as a translator of works by Voltaire. Anna herself is believed to have played a role in the rebuilding of Hafslund.
In a well-known portrait, Anna is depicted holding a drawing of Hafslund as it was rebuilt in 1761–62, and it is believed that she, together with her brother – who also designed Bogstad – played a part in shaping the manor’s main building. With decorative works in the new residence carried out by painters from Herrebøe, and a large service produced at the factory bearing her and her husband’s coat of arms, it is not unlikely that she was closely involved in Herrebøe’s activities as well.
Women’s contributions were most often informal and conveyed through conversation, and therefore rarely documented, yet no less significant. During Anna Collett Elieson’s time, Hafslund became known for its lively and social hospitality. Gatherings at the manor were widely recognised, not least the Christmas celebrations, which gained particular renown.
Norway's Richest Estate Owner
Maren Juel (1749–1815)
It is said that Maren Juel still ‘haunts’ Hafslund. At the very least, she returned to the estate several times after having sold it or moved away. During her first marriage, she became co-owner together with her husband, Peder Holter, though it remains uncertain whether she ever actually lived on the estate. The couple sold Hafslund after less than a year.
In her second marriage, she and her husband, Ole Christian Wessel, purchased Hafslund and began planning extensive renovations. Sadly, he passed away just a year after the acquisition, and little of their vision was realised – most likely limited to extensions of the park.
In her final marriage, she and her husband, Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz, moved into the main house together with his daughter, and she remained the estate’s owner until her death. Her husband was deeply engaged in the politics of his time, serving both as President of the Lagting and as a Member of Parliament, and appears to have spent much of his time in Christiania occupied with national affairs.
According to Bernt Anker, likely Norway’s wealthiest timber merchant around 1800, she managed the Hafslund enterprise largely on her own – and did so with great success. During her time, significant changes were made to the park and gardens, as well as to the main house. She is described as a strong and commanding woman, with a distinct and memorable personality.