This is a legendary site at Angelstad Church in Ljungby, Småland.
The knight Ebbe Skammelson killed his betrothed in a fit of rage. He was put in chains and sentenced to spend one day on each of the 365 islands of Lake Bolmen.
After a year, he returned to Angelstad Church. There, he stepped onto a stone and said: “If I am worthy to rest in consecrated ground, then let it be so.” At that moment, the chains fell from him. Ebbe fell dead, and a cross and a footprint became visible in the stone.
His chains are said to have been transformed into crosses on the church roof.
The story connects several places in the landscape – Lake Bolmen with its many islands and the church at Angelstad – showing how a legend can move between different locations.
Visiting this place is part of a journey through the Land of Legends in Småland (Ljungby, Alvesta and Älmhult). Stories are found throughout the landscape, about oknytt and lortaty and other supernatural beings, as well as about real people and their lives.
Travelling through the Land of Legends takes visitors through scenic environments and forgotten places, offering insight into how people once lived, thought, and interpreted their world. The stories are tied to real locations and passed down through generations.
The work with the Land of Legends is internationally recognised through Land of Legends Sweden and is included in UNESCO’s register of good practices for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
The Museum of Legends in Ljungby gathers these stories and presents them through exhibitions and storytelling.
The site is located at the church and is easy to reach by road. It is often used as a stopping point where the story is directly connected to the church setting, while also extending outwards towards the islands of Lake Bolmen. Several other legend sites are located within a short distance, making this a natural part of a wider route through the area.
