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Norra Hestra kyrka

Address
Västerliden 2, 335 71, Hestra
Municipality
Gislaveds Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Växjö

Norra Hestra kyrka is a timber church at Nissastigen in Gislaved, in the parish of Norra Hestra. A church on this site was first recorded in 1540, though the present building dates from the mid-eighteenth century and remains the parish's place of worship.



An earlier timber church stood on the site, entirely clad in wooden shingles and consisting of a nave with a narrower chancel and a porch; its age is unknown, though records show it was damaged by fire in 1619 and gained a sacristy in 1724. That building was replaced by the present timber church, built in 1752–1753, which comprises a rectangular nave with a steep roof, an almost full-width straight chancel to the east, a sacristy to the north of it, and a porch to the west.

The interior was decorated in 1756–57 with paintings by the Borås artist Ditlof Ross (also recorded as Ditloff Ross), whose work survives in the painted altarpiece and gallery front, though only a few painted roof boards from his nave decoration remain, now kept in the church attic. In 1871 a new organ by Erik Adolf Setterquist of Örebro was acquired, prompting an extension of the church and gallery to the west along with fresh painting inside and out. A rebuilding was considered in the early twentieth century, but instead a restoration in 1925–26 aimed to recreate the church's appearance from before the 1871 changes.

A thorough renovation took place in 1969–70 (sources give slightly differing start dates of 1968 or 1969) under architect Per Rudenstam, during which conservators uncovered some of the original colour scheme. The church retains fittings from its construction period, including pews, gallery and altarpiece. A plain altar of untreated pine boards was added in 1969, and an oak font designed by Adolf Niklasson dates from 1961. The four-sided pulpit, carved in 1659 in a late Renaissance style, is thought to have originally stood in Åsenhöga church before being moved here. The current mechanical organ, built in 1969 by Hermann Eule of Bautzen, has thirteen stops across two manuals and pedal.

The detached bell tower beside the church dates from the seventeenth century and houses three bells. The middle bell was cast in the sixteenth century and once served as the main bell; the smallest bell was cast in 1783, possibly by the Jönköping founder Elias Fries Thoresson, and was bought in 1830 from Svenljunga church after a new bell frame was built in 1829. The largest bell was cast in 1951 by M & E Ohlsson's bell foundry, coinciding with the introduction of electric bell-ringing in 1952.

Opening hours

Opening hours have not been confirmed for the current date. This does not mean the church is closed.

Check access with the parish before travelling. Services and seasonal changes can affect visits.

Norra Hestra församling

Norra Hestra kyrka

Norra Hestra kyrka is a timber church at Nissastigen in Gislaved, in the parish of Norra Hestra. A church on this site was first recorded in 1540, though the present building dates from the mid-eighteenth century and remains the parish's place of worship.

Västerliden 2, 335 71, Hestra

Explore this church: Norra Hestra kyrka

Church information: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0. Each church page includes its credits and visiting notes.

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Sources & credits

Provider catalogue data: Svenska kyrkan, Platser, CC BY 4.0. Separately credited descriptions retain their stated source and licence terms. Catalogue and visiting data reformatted from the provider. The English guide combines and abridges separately credited sources below.

Provider record updated: 7 Sep 2026. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 2718e1a4-6306-4fe6-9121-db2432396ed0

Guide sources

This English guide combines, abridges and translates the sources below with AI assistance, with editorial contributions by Churches in Sweden. It has not been independently verified. The adapted guide text is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photographs and map data have their own terms.

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Church data retrieved 24 Sep 2026. Visiting details have not been independently verified.

Sources, licences & reuse

Independent guide

Churches in Sweden is an independent guide. It is not an official Svenska kyrkan website and does not imply sponsorship or endorsement.

Church information

Source: Svenska kyrkan — Platser, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. English adaptations by Churches in Sweden are identified on each profile. Our adaptations solely from Platser are offered under CC BY 4.0. Guides combining Wikipedia with other compatible sources are identified individually and offered under CC BY-SA 4.0; this covers that guide text, not the whole website. Separately credited third-party material retains its stated terms. Independently written descriptions are identified on their profiles. Imported material has not been independently verified. Original names and visiting details are retained; presentation is reformatted. Each profile identifies its source record and any additional supplied credits.

You may reuse the licensed church material under CC BY 4.0, including commercially, with the required attribution, licence link and indication of changes. No additional site restriction overrides those rights. The licence does not automatically cover separately credited images or map data.

Provider disclaimer

Svenska kyrkan supplies Platser data without guaranteeing that it is correct, current, complete across its organisation, or always available. The material is provided as-is and as-available, subject to the licence’s disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability.

Svenska kyrkan kan ej garantera att den data som finns i Platser:
– är korrekt.
– är aktuell.
– är komplett för hela Svenska kyrkans organisation.
– alltid är tillgänglig.

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Map and photographs

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