Høylandsbygd
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Høylandsbygda Høylandsbygda, Høylandsbygdi |
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| Village | |
 Høylandsbygda
Høylandsbygda
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| Coordinates: 59°47′00″N 05°48′09″E / 59.78333°N 5.80250°ECoordinates: 59°47′00″N 05°48′09″E / 59.78333°N 5.80250°E | |
| Country | Norway |
| Region | Western Norway |
| County | Hordaland |
| District | Sunnhordland |
| Municipality | Kvinnherad |
| Elevation | 28 m (92 ft) |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 434 |
| Demonym(s) | Høylandsbygdar |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+01:00) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+02:00) |
| Post Code | 5457 Høylandsbygd |
| Website | hoylandsbygd |
Høylandsbygd is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The village is located on the eastern part of the island of Halsnøya. It is one of the largest urban areas on the island, just after Sæbøvik and Eidsvik. While originally one of the island's largest farming villages, today it is renowned for its position in Norwegian shipping industry.
Until 1964, the village was divided between two municipalities: Fjelberg and Skånevik, with the border running in parallel with today's main road called Slettanesveien. Since 1964, it has been part of Kvinnherad municipality.
The name Høylandsbygd is made up of two parts: "høyland" and "bygd". "Høyland" is Norwegian for "the high lands", and bygd is Old Norse for "district" or "settlement". The name loosely translates to "the settlement in the high lands", and references the early farms and settlements which were built in the higher fields of the village.
The geographical area that is Høylandsbygd today was originally farmland under the large farm of Hauge, which has been inhabited and used as farmland since at least c. 650 A.D., with findings confirming the presence of settlements both along the village coast and where the main farmhouses are today. There is a written record of the inhabitants since the 12th century, which also shows that the farm was divided into five sections during the 13th century: Hauge, Mehus, Bjørgjo, Tveito/Berhaug, and Mjelkevik, the latter two of which were extensions of Hauge rather than their own, separate farms.
As the Black Plague hit Norway in 1349-1350, the farms were hit heavily, with only Hauge and Mehus having survivors, and the other three being either abandoned or incorporated into other farms. Bjørgjo was sold to the Halsnøy Abbey landlords, and remained in their possession until the 1580s, while Tveito and Mjelkevik were incorporated into Hauge as farmland.
During the following centuries, the farms grew in numbers, with the remaining farms gradually being divided into several farms, as well as the western parts of today's village being built on to make new settlements. By the 17th century, the number of inhabitants had grown to more than 200, an impressive number in those times.
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