Magnificent Textile Baron Houses

Manor houses of this type are without equal in the other parts of southern Västergötland. There were built during the first half of the nineteenth century by textile barons who had amassed personal fortunes thanks to their textile businesses. Until the nineteenth century, the textile business was barely reflected in the building style of the farmer population in Mark. The buildings were designed in accordance with the local tradition, regardless of whether you were an outsourcing farmer or just a farmer. But a new building tradition was being introduced. It is unclear where the inspiration for this new building style came from, but it may have been the rural salesmen who brought back ideas from their trading trips around Sweden and Scandinavia. With these manor houses, the textile barons could display their wealth, and in the mid-nineteenth century such houses were becoming an increasingly common sight.

What characterises the new mode of house building is the white wooden panels, detailed windows and doors, and, of course, the impressive size. Even the floor plan was different than for traditional manor houses. The main building also included two wings. At Salgutsred, between Kinna and Fritsla, you can see white squares on the chimneys. It is said that these white squares mean that there were daughters of marriageable age living in the manor house. 

If you want to see examples of this type of manor house, you can follow the winding road between Kinna and Fritsla. You'll pass Risäng, Haga, Kronäng, Källäng, Kinnabacka and Salgutsred. The houses are privately-owned and cannot be visited, but they can still be viewed from the road.

Source: Kinna Hembygdsförening and Gunnar Ahlberger