8. Tvärbommen

A map of Skepparön from 1704 shows a croft called “Tvärbommen”. This could be the croft whose remains we can see on the ground here. There are traces of a dwelling, a stone cellar and a barn. Rows of stones suggest that there were once dry-stone walls. There were probably pastures here. We don’t know who lived here in the early 18th century, or who planted the gooseberry bushes nearby. Are these actually the remains of the croft called “Tvärbommen”? As so often in historical research, there are more questions than answers.

On old maps a barrier is shown in the water off Klockarudden. We’re not sure what function it served. Perhaps it was a customs post? There were several of these in Stockhom and at Vaxholm. Another theory is that the barrier was used in connection with warping large vessels round the point.

From here you can see the remains of what may have been a livestock path – which animals used to reach pasture from the cattle shed. Livestock mainly roamed free in wood pasture – a common practice well into the 20th century.

At the end of the livestock path are the remains of what was probably a cattle shed. It consists of two cattle pens with a narrow passage between them. The absence of the remains of a fireplace suggests that it wasn’t a dwelling. Maybe there were sheep on one side and cows on the other?

There are several old lime trees in the area which have been pollarded. Animal feed was collected by cutting off branches from trees before they’d matured.

To get to stop number 9 carry straight on.