Havstenssunds kapell

In 1919 a chapel building association was formed, with the then curate (komminister) Rolf Bergendahl as chairman. The population of Havstenssund and the surrounding islands felt that the many-mile journey to Grebbestad was too long, which motivated the building of their own church. The drawings were made by Knut Nordenskjöld, who also drew, among others, Kosters and Krokstrands churches, and the chapel was inaugurated on 6 December 1938 - almost 20 years after the association was formed.

The chapel has not undergone any major changes since then. It has been extended to provide space for a WC at the rear, and electricity has been installed. It was also repainted internally in 1961; originally the walls were ochre yellow and the ceiling green, but it was changed to white walls and a blue ceiling.

The chapel has a somewhat unusual form, as the nave and the tower are separated from each other, yet linked together by the church porch. On the north side of the nave there is a sacristy. The facade of the nave, sacristy and church porch is clad with red-painted vertical board-and-batten panelling.

The tower is built of stone, faced with dressed granite blocks. At the south-eastern and north-western corners two large stone blocks project, intended to serve as seats. Under the eaves to the north and south are black anchor irons in the form of the years 1937 and 1938. The upper part of the tower, which is copper-clad both inside and out, is shaped like a large lantern, with the bell visibly hung. The bell was cast in 1938 at Bergholtz in Stockholm. The roof of the upper section is covered with slate and crowned by a large copper-clad wooden sphere bearing a cross.

The main entrance to the church is through the church porch, via the copper-clad double doors with a gilded cross above.

The church interior is light and simply designed. The floor is a lacquered wooden floor and the walls are white, apart from a grey-painted dado inside the pew sections. The ceiling is painted a light blue.

The chancel is separated from the nave partly by being somewhat narrower and set three steps higher. There is also a crossbeam with a large crucifix placed over the chancel opening. The crucifix is inspired by medieval crucifixes and was made by E Fagerberg, Stockholm. Originally the font was intended to stand in a niche in the chancel, which is further raised. The sacristy is on the north side of the chancel.

The church porch is a lower structural section that connects the nave with the tower. Beyond a small vestibule one reaches the round entrance hall. In the corners there are storage spaces, and on the north side there is an added WC. The floor is covered with limestone laid in a circular pattern.

The tower is built entirely of granite and functions solely as a stair tower. Here there is a substantial stone staircase that runs around a square newel post in the centre, also of granite.

The altar is placed against the east wall and is covered with a limestone slab. It has smooth-plastered, grey-painted sides with a decoration on the front - the Lamb of God within an oval. The altarpiece is in the form of an altar cabinet with closable doors, with a painting depicting the Resurrection. The painting is done in oil on wood and painted in light colours, surrounded by a brown-painted and gilded frame, which is crowned by a gilded, substantial radiant halo with the symbol of the Trinity in the centre, and a metal crown in front. The doors are matte-gilded with painted Christ monograms and were made by Curt Viberg in 1938.

The altar rail is closed, rectangular, with a projecting central section in wood. The sides are entirely plain and painted blue, with somewhat lighter panels and gilded edges on the central section. The top rail and the kneelers are covered in yellow, faintly striped fabric from the time of construction.

The pulpit is placed on the north side and consists of a body and a sounding board. The body has a four-sided base plan with flared sides, and the front is fitted with a sculpted figure of Christ in relief. Everything is painted in grey marbling, with broad blue bands and gilding along the top and bottom edges. The sounding board is painted in the same manner as the body.

The font also dates from the time of construction and is made of wood. It has a flat, square base with the church's year of construction in Roman numerals in relief on the edge. At the top is a quatrefoil-shaped basin with symbolic reliefs in the form of a cross and Christ monogram. The font is painted grey.

The pew furnishings consist of two open sections along the long walls, with pew screens facing the chancel. The outside is marbled in brown with a gilded moulding at the top, and the inside is painted brown. Between the pews and the long walls there is a gap of about 15 cm. Pews have been removed from the south side to make room for musicians and a light globe (chandelier).

The gallery is supported by four white-painted wooden pillars. The parapet is entirely straight and has a simple panel division, which is marbled in grey, while the rest of the gallery is white. In the centre there is an applied decoration in the form of a cross, which is also marbled.

The organ was made in 1950 by Hammarbergs orgelbyggeri, Gothenburg. The organ mechanism itself is placed in a space that runs between the ground floor and the gallery, and therefore there is no organ case in the usual sense on the gallery, only the console.

Above the central aisle hang electric brass chandeliers designed by the church's architect and dating from the time of construction. The wall sconces hanging along the walls and in the chancel were also designed by the church's architect and were made by Jonssons gelbgjuteri in Skara.