Skjold is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now divided between Tysvær Municipality and Vindafjord Municipality in the traditional district of Haugaland. The administrative centre was the village of Skjold.
Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the municipality was the 357th largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Skjold Municipality was the 353rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by 0.9% over the previous 10-year period.
General information The parish of Skjold was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1849, Skjold Municipality was divided as follows: the southwestern half (population: 2,058) became the new Tysvær Municipality and the northeastern half (population: 3,439) remained as a smaller Skjold Municipality.
In 1891, Skjold Municipality was divided again: the eastern district (population: 1,095) became the new Vats Municipality and the western district (population: 1,961) remained as a smaller Skjold Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee, including some changes to Skjold Municipality. On 1 January 1964, a small part of Skjold Municipality located north of the Ålfjorden (population: 24) was transferred to Sveio Municipality in Hordaland county. Then on 1 January 1965, Skjold Municipality was dissolved and its lands were divided as follows: the districts of Liarheim and Langeland (population: 1,262), mostly located north and east of the Grindafjorden were merged with Sandeid Municipality and parts of Imsland Municipality, Vats Municipality, and Vikedal Municipality to create the new Vindafjord Municipality the districts of Dueland, Grinde, and Yrkje (population: 1,133), mostly located south and west of the Grindafjorden and Skjoldafjorden, were merged with Tysvær Municipality and Nedstrand Municipality and parts of Avaldsnes Municipality, Vats Municipality, and Vikedal Municipality to form the new, larger Tysvær Municipality.
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skjold farm () since the first Skjold Church was built there. The name is identical to the word which means "shield".
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Skjold Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Skjold prestegjeld and the Karmsund prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger.
Churches in Skjold MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtSkjoldSkjold ChurchSkjold1887**Note: This church burned down in 1992 and a new church replaced it in 1999.
Geography The municipality encompassed all the area surrounding the Grindafjorden and Skjoldafjorden. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Lammanuten, located on the border with Nedstrand Municipality. Ølen Municipality (in Hordaland county) was located to the north, Vats Municipality was located to the east, Nedstrand Municipality was located to the southeast, Tysvær Municipality was located to the southwest, Avaldsnes Municipality was located to the west, Haugesund Municipality was located to the west-northwest, and Vikebygd Municipality (in Hordaland county) was located to the northwest.
Government While it existed, Skjold 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 Karmsund District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Skjold Municipality was made up of 17representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Mayors The mayor () of Skjold Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1838–1841: Hans Iversen Egge 1842–1843: Rev. Jens Braage Halvorsen 1844–1847: Jacob H. Smedsvig 1848–1851: Sjur Sjursen Økland 1852–1853: Lars S. Gjerde 1854–1855: Henrik Andreas Dybdal 1856–1857: Ivar J. Alendal 1858–1869: Henrik Andreas Dybdal 1870–1871: Johannes Olsen Haraldseide 1872–1873: Henrik Andreas Dybdal 1874–1875: Mons E. Frøvig 1876–1879: Ivar H. Egge 1880–1881: Erik Eriksen Koltveit 1882–1893: Ivar H. Egge 1894–1897: Ole Henriksen Dybdal 1898–1901: Ole G. Dagsland 1902–1913: Knud Langeland 1914–1915: Sevald Foss 1916–1916: Knud Langeland 1917–1928: Thorleif Austreim 1929–1931: Lars Bjoland 1931–1941: Emil Knutsen 1942–1945: Bj. Bjelland 1945–1945: Emil Knutsen 1946–1947: Arne J. Tveit 1947–1961: Emil Knutsen 1961–1963: Olav Straum 1963–1964: Gerhard Kyvik
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References