A bit north of the village of Sonstorp is the old industrial site of Sonstorps Bruk. This is the location of one of the oldest iron mills in Sweden, with a history going back to the 14th century. The area is today a part of Finspång Municipality in Östergötland County, but the population is sparse.
A Short History of Sonstorps Bruk
Iron has been processed in the area around Sontstorps Bruk since the 14th century. The Swedish monarchy rented the land and established production here during the 16th century. The crown eventually owned two hammers and four forges in Sonstorp. The monarchy left Sonstorps Bruk already at the end of the 16th century, leaving the production to the local landowner. This was the start of increased development and the production reached its peak in the 1690s.
Iron production was kept alive up until 1910. The company Sonstorps Bruk has since the dismantling of the iron production been refocusing and is today a forestry and farming company. The company has since 1821 been in the ownership of the Mörner Family.
Things to Do and See
After a drive along small countryside roads, an old industrial landscape will suddenly appear. The old ironwork is the main attraction and a walk around the area is a nice way to dream back into the past.
Sonstorps Bruk
Several of the historical buildings at Sonstorps Bruk still stand and they offer visitors the possibility to dream back to the past and wonder how this might have looked when fully active. The river is today used for hydroelectric power, but several buildings such as the mill, smith, and forge still stand here. The mill is a newer addition and was built as late as 1892. It was in use up until 1950.
Sonstorps Bruk Manor
The Manor building of Sonstorps Bruk was completed in 1792. Construction had begun already in 1756 as a replacement was needed for an earlier manor that was probably lost in a fire. The manor house is accompanied by a larger park. As it is privately owned, access to the park and manor house might be limited.
How to Get to Sonstorps Bruk
- Flights: Two nearby airports are Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) 93 kilometers away and Norrköping Airport (NRK) 46 kilometers away.
- Car: Sonstorps Bruk is along countryside roads outside of Finspång.
- Bus: Buses from Östgötatrafiken is in nearby Sonstorp.
- Train: The closest train station is in Norrköping.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 193 kilometers (2 h 16 min)
- Gothenburg – 318 kilometers (3 h 54 min)
- Malmö – 462 kilometers (5 h 27 min)
- Linköping – 49 kilometers (59 min)
- Kiruna – 1424 kilometers (16 h 51 min)
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