The reconstruction after the war was a good opportunity to get the people of Manndalen to farm according to Norwegian standards. A young, newly qualified surveyor was sent to the village to regularise the properties. After a few days, the surveyor was chased out of the village by a furious procession of Manndalings.
The reconstruction after World War II was a golden opportunity to replace the old land division system. A surveyor was therefore sent to the village to regularise the properties. This was not well received by the people of Manndalen. After a short time, the work was stopped when a large procession of Manndalings chased the surveyor with knives, sticks and threats of murder.
The surveyor was guided to Samuelsberg, where a boat was waiting for him. Here he was bundled aboard and had to foot the bill for the trip to Lyngseidet.
Armed police escort
The surveyor didn't give up and later returned to the village with a police escort. However, the work was stopped when the surveyor's boss issued new directives stating that measurements could only be made where the landowners agreed. Few gave their permission, the work was cancelled and the parcels were allowed to remain.
Manndalen is one of the few settlements where farms with the old mixed cropping system are still in use. The farms consist of three or more plots scattered around the valley. The original idea was that everyone should have access to different types of land for different needs. Through inheritance of property, the estates have been divided into ever narrower units. The property landscape in Manndalen is therefore complex and varied.
Listen to surveyor Tor Hovet's story in a radio interview from 1982, National Library of Norway
