Parish granary

Parish granaries (Swedish: sockenmagasin, Finnish: pitäjänmakasiini) were communal granaries established in Sweden and Finland during the 18th and 19th century. They were built for storing grains in case of poor harvest or crop failure. Farmers could borrow seeds at low rates of interest and the possible profit was used for the poor.

First parish granaries were constructed early 18th century. In 1756 the Swedish Riksdag enacted a law for establishing a granary in every parish. They were usually built of stone and often located by the churchyard. The wooden granaries had double walls for preventing theft. Many preserved ones serve today as museums, art galleries or summer cafés.

Gallery

• Sockenmagasinet Goetlunda.JPG

  Götlunda, Sweden

• Sockenmagasinet, ev från början av 1700-talet, i Kungslena, den 23 aug 2006.JPG

  Kungslena, Sweden

• Sockenmagasinet, Tanumshede.jpg

  Tanumshede, Sweden

• Örberga church Vadstena Sweden 003.JPG

  Vadstena, Sweden

• Vingåkers hembygdsmuseum sockenmagasin.jpg

  Vingåker, Sweden

• Kokemäen hautausmaa 3.JPG

  Kokemäki, Finland

• Loimaan kotiseutumuseo.jpg

  Loimaa, Finland

• Marttilan lainamakasiinit.jpg

  Marttila, Finland

• Paattisten lainamakasiinit.JPG

  Paattinen, Finland

• Perniö, viljamakasiini 0291-1.jpg

  Perniö, Finland

External links

• Media related to Parish granaries in Sweden at Wikimedia Commons
• Media related to Parish granaries in Finland at Wikimedia Commons