Archaeological history of Viklem

When Viklem became the central church for most of the Fosen coast it was already a very important place. The oldest part of the churchyard is round, and such a form can indicate that the church was built at a former pagan shrine. One of Norway’s largest burial grounds Viklemhaugen which is over 50 metres in diameter is still visible in the landscape next to the church. Until the early 20th century there was a large burial ground consisting of oval and smaller round mounds in the field east of the church and towards the nearby construction area. According to Gerhard Shønning the old name for the burial mound was ‘’ Tim or Tinghaugen” (Assembly mound) and the meadow below it was referred to as ‘the meeting place “Tingvollen”. Numerous archaeological excavations have been carried out around Ørland church in connection with the expansion of the cemetery. Numerous longhouse tufts have been found next to the vicarage, which show traces of a considerable farm that was on the site throughout the Iron Age. In 2014 when the graveyard was being further expanded the most sensational find was made. Under the remains of the Vicarage’s demolished outbuildings archaeologists from NTNU Science Museum found tufts of the only Guild Hall dating from the Viking and Middle Ages to be found north of Dovre.