Heskestad is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now divided between Eigersund Municipality and Lund Municipality in the traditional district of Dalane. The administrative centre was the village of Heskestad where the Heskestad Church is located.
Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the municipality was the 324th largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Heskestad Municipality was the 510th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 7.1% over the previous 10-year period.
General information
Heskestad was historically a part of the Helleland Church prestegjeld until 1820 when it became part of Lund Church prestegjeld. On 1 January 1838, the parish of Heskestad was established as a separate municipality (see formannskapsdistrikt law). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, Heskestad Municipality was dissolved and its lands were divided as follows:
the majority of Heskestad Municipality, with 547 inhabitants, was merged into the neighboring Lund Municipality the Gyadalen and Grøsfjell areas, with 114 inhabitants, were merged with the town of Egersund (population: 3,787), Eigersund Municipality (population: 4,664), and Helleland Municipality (population: 851) to form a much larger Eigersund Municipality
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Heskestad farm () since the first Heskestad Church was built there. The first element possibly comes from Høski, a nickname for the historic male name Hǫskollr or Hǫskuldr. The last element is the plural form of which means "place" or "abode".
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Heskestad Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Lund prestegjeld and the Dalane prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger.
Churches in Heskestad MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtHeskestadHeskestad ChurchHeskestad1904
Geography Heskestad Municipality is located in the inland part of the Dalane region. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Store Skykula, on the border with Bjerkreim Municipality. Bjerkreim Municipality was located to the north, Tonstad Municipality was located to the northeast, Lund Municipality was located to the east, Sokndal Municipality was located to the south, Eigersund Municipality was located to the southwest, and Helleland Municipality was located to the west.
Government While it existed, Heskestad Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Dalane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Heskestad Municipality was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Mayors The mayor () of Heskestad Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1838–1851: Ole Gabriel Ueland 1852–1855: Helge Eriksen Ollestad 1866–1869: Ole Gabriel Ueland 1870–1873: Iver Pedersen Sandsmark 1874–1879: Gabriel Ueland 1880–1883: Iver Pedersen Sandsmark 1884–1885: Ole Martin Ueland 1886–1891: Ole L. Bjuland 1892–1893: Ole Martin Ueland 1894–1897: Ole L. Bjuland 1898–1898: Peder I. Sandsmark 1899–1901: Svend O. Ollestad 1902–1907: Ole Gabriel J. Ueland 1908–1908: Ole L. Bjuland 1909–1910: Ole Gabriel J. Ueland 1911–1913: Ole L. Bjuland 1914–1916: Ole Gabriel J. Ueland 1917–1941: Botolv Flom 1942–1945: Alf Bilstad 1945–1945: Botolv Flom 1946–1947: O.G.F. Ueland 1947–1949: Helge Ollestad 1949–1964: Jonas G. Dybing (LL)
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References