Selchausdal

Gundetved is first mentioned in 1339 when it was owned by Mathias Jensen. It was in the 15th century owned by the Limbæk family. In 1451, it was thus owned by Otte Limbæk. His daughter, the widow of Jon Bille, was the owner in 1489, The ownership of the estate was later ceded to Niels Henriksen as dowry in connection with his marriage to their daughter Margrete Bille. He was later ennobled under the name Arenfeldtand and succeeded Jørgen Mrrsvin as Chancellor of the Realm in circa 1526. After Niels Henriksen Arenfeldt's death in 1533, Gundetved was passed to his sons Henrik and Torben Arenfeldt. Henrik Arenfeldt's son Niels Arenfeldt was from circa 1580 the owner of the estate. He is known to have had at least 13 children with four different women. This led to an impeachment for breach of the Sixth Commandment in which he was sentenced to paying a fine to a hospital and secretly make his confessions of penitents.[1]

In 1628, Gundetved was acquired by Ernst Normand. He sold the estate to Joachim Normand in 1636. They had both come to Denmark from Rügen. In 1645, Gundetved was acquired by Axel Juul of Volstrup who would later also acquire Sæbygaard and Kattrup. In 1664, he sold all his estates to Treasure Henrik Müller.

Müller's son, Frants Müller, sold the estate to Bertel Jensen, who in turn sold it to Axel Nielsen.

In 1696, Gundetved was acquired by Brostrup Albertin, a Supreme Court attorney. In 1710, he sold the estate to Henrik Wigant Michelbecher. His widow sold it at a very low price to Jacob Benzon in 1720. In 1820, Benzon sold the estate to Frederik Adeler for just over twice the price that he had paid nine years earlier.

Christian Andreas Selchau

In 1782, Gundetved was acquired by Christian Andreas Selchau, a son of the owner of Benzonslund at Ringsted, who renamed the estate Selchausdal in 1799. On his death in 1816, Selchausdal was owned by his widow until their son Jens Christian Selchau took over in 1821.

The new main building seen on a drawing by Ferdinand Richardt

Jens Christian Selchau died in 1920. His widow, Annette Christiane von Herbst, ceded it to their son Christian Andreas Selchau when she remarried in 1842. Christian Andreas Selchau commissioned Johan Daniel Herholdt to design a new main building which was completed in 1857.

Christian Andreas Selchau died unmarried in 1893. Selchausdal was then passed to his sister, Michelle Christiane Selchau. She converted the property into a home for 12 elderly women. After her early death, Selchausdal passed to her cousin, Gundo S. Vogt.

In 1940, Selchausdal was acquired by Consul General H. O. Lange. He left the estate to a foundation.