”Han säger det ska stå för efterkommande” Profant gråstensbyggande i Västergötland före 1860 - Exemplet Nääs ladugård

Abstract

The intention of this essay was to examine profane masonry construction in “grey stone” (i.e. granite and gneiss), built during the early 19thcentury in the Swedish province of Västergötland. This has been done by an exemplified field study of a cowshed, built in 1831 by the ambitious entrepreneur Peter Wilhelm Berg. The cowshed is part of the Nääs estate, in Västergötland. With thick mason walls and high grey stone gables, it gives the impression of a medieval fortress more than that of a barn. This makes the building unusual from a perspective of architectural history, which raises many questions about the social and technical preconditions of the times, and how these influences affected this kind of construction. Evidence emerged, pointing to where the stone quarry might have been located and the reasons for choosing grey stone as a main building material. The social and technical consequences of this choice are also discussed. The conclusions in the essay were made by interpretations of the collected data. The starting point of the interpretations was prior researches about grey stone and masonry techniques and previous knowledge about Nääs and Peter Wilhelm Berg. This information was then compared to the indications and clues found in the collected data, which led to a concluding discussion in the last chapter. This essay hopes to invigorate interest in these buildings of grey stone. Interest will not only facilitate future preservation, restoration and use of this building, but also inspire further research into other grey stone constructions built in Västergötland during the Swedish preindustrial time.