Norway's oldest house dated to over 850 years old

A recently conducted annual ring dating has revealed that Norway's oldest known house, situated on a farm in Buskerud, dates back to 1168, meaning it is over 850 years old. While the house's considerable age was known, the precise dating to 1168 is a new discovery, even for its current owner, Johan Brun.

"It's fun to own Norway's oldest house," Brun stated in a press release from the municipality of Buskerud. The Brun family has owned the farm since 1912, but the house itself predates their ownership by many centuries. The dating indicates that several of the logs used in its construction were felled during the winter of 1167–1168.

“

It is fun to own Norway's oldest house.

This discovery places the house among the oldest preserved timber buildings in Scandinavia. The surrounding area also boasts other ancient structures, including a storehouse with an upper floor likely built around 1171 and a lower section from 1252. Nearby, the Uvdal Stave Church, a significant historical landmark, also dates back to the 1100s.

A research team, including Jørn Berget, is eager to investigate further buildings in the Numedal and Telemark regions. Berget noted that many buildings in these areas have characteristics suggesting they also date back to the 12th century. For comparison, Sweden's oldest preserved buildings include Dalby Church, with construction possibly starting around 1060, and the oldest timber house at Zorn's Gammelgård, dated to 1237.

“

There are many buildings that have not yet been examined in both Numedal and Telemark, which have characteristics that place them in the 1100s.