Gällinge kulturstig

**Gällinge parish

Gällinge parish is an old cultural area. Countless finds from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages have been made and the remains from this time are many. The church is of old date and according to legend was built in 1130.

Agriculture has been the main industry in the parish. The soil is quite poor and poverty has characterized the village over the years. Forests were scarce and heathland was dominant between the small fields. However, starting in the latter part of the 19th century, the Löftaån river was lowered, which meant that a lot of new agricultural land could be taken possession of. This new land was often fertile and gave a boost to agriculture. The agriculture that is practiced today is mostly focused on cereal cultivation, and many farmers supplement their livelihood with other employment.

From the early 1800s to 1870, the population almost doubled. Emigration to America took off and many sought their fortune in the great land to the west. Between 1891 and 1900, net emigration in Gällinge amounted to 12.97 per thousand of the population. The highest in any parish in Halland.

It was common for crofters and farmers to buy sheep at the markets to the south and east (e.g. Skällinge and Skållared), which they then drove home and slaughtered. The meat was then sold in Kungsbacka or Gothenburg. The women spun and wove. There were many flax fields in the area, and many of the fabrics were left out in the moonlight and dew to be bleached before being sold in Gothenburg at the Larsmässemarknad. Flax cultivation has resumed and nowadays you can once again see rolling blue fields for the production of linseed oil.

Of all the mills that have been in the parish, only Stockareds mill is still in use. The country store in Dugatorp is the only remaining of the 8 shops that have existed over the years. Other things that have disappeared in the parish are the post office, the dairy, the telephone station, peat mills and smithies. In recent years, however, business activities other than agriculture have begun to flourish again in the village.

The Gällinge primary and secondary school has been expanded in recent years. The primary school was originally located at Lunna in Håfors village, from where it was moved to Gödatorp before the current school was built in the early 1980s.

Park at Gällinge church. There you see the sign Kulturstig.

From E6 exit 58, at Shellmacken and drive towards Gällinge/Förlanda. Follow the signs for Gällinge and Gällingeskolan, turn left towards Gällinge church. Continue until you see the sign Kulturstig.