Gudlav Bilderskolan, Sollefteå

Gudlav Bilder and the Riddle of the Will in Sollefteå

The upper secondary school in Sollefteå, Gudlav Bilderskolan, bears a name that reaches back to one of Ångermanland's most legendary historical figures. On 29 July 1337 a wealthy colonist and chieftain named Gudlav Bilder drew up a magnificent will in Latin. Its purpose was to give large areas of land to the church to secure 'själagagn' — spiritual peace — for his deceased wife Rodhni and himself. Through the centuries it has been told that Gudlav Bilder's spirit never left the land because he wanted to watch over the strict conditions of the will. When the school was built on this very deeded land in 1971, local stories arose about strange sounds in the building during late evenings, giving rise to the old Sollefteå saying that 'Gudlav Bilder walks again' to inspect his estates.