The Old Church in Højerup on Stevns

Højerup Gamle was likely built around 1250. It was dedicated to St. Clement, the patron saint of fishermen. The church is first mentioned during the time of Valdemar IV of Denmark (Valdemar Atterdag), when it was reconsecrated in 1357 after a reconstruction of the chancel. (Perhaps it was first built in 1357, see Valdemar Atterdag and Højerup Church on the tip of Stevns (Ebbe Nyborg in Festschrift for Peter Zeeberg 2017)

A legend tells that a skipper in distress at sea promised God that if he came ashore alive, he would build a church on the cliff. Another legend tells that every Christmas Eve the church moves inland a rooster’s stride to keep a safe distance from the abyss. Despite the legend, the distance between the church and the cliff edge continually lessened with the sea's greedy attacks on the cliff. In 1910, the church was closed. The sea had by then eroded the soft chalk so far under the churchyard that it was deemed too risky to gather for worship in the Old Church.

Another 18 years passed before the disaster occurred. Early in the morning of 16 March 1928, a large section of the cliff collapsed into the sea, along with the church choir and part of the churchyard.

In the same year, a government grant made it possible to commence extensive works to protect against further landslides.