Settlement

The name kil means narrow cove and is related to the two coves found on both sides of the island. Været belonged to Tjøtta municipality until 1965. The first settlement was registered in connection with a tax assessment in 1567. During the census in 1664/66, four farmers lived here. In the 1800s, there were four farms in Kilvær. These were divided into eight farms.

In addition to the eight users, there were two homesteads. In the 1865 census, the island had 44 inhabitants. They had two horses, 28 cows, 61 sheep and three pigs. 21 barrels of potatoes were planted and over 10 barrels of grain were sown.

A viable community over many years

Good fishing grounds are located just outside Kilvær. The fishermen had a short distance to the fishing grounds and a good port to come home to. They also had good conditions for farming on the island. Around 1900, Kilvær was one of the most viable island communities in the area, with around 70 residents. 25 children from twelve families went to school in Skogsholmen. Before the boarding school was built in 1941, they lived with families on the island. Været had a post office and a steamship port. The Kilvær people used the church in Skålvær (now in Alstahaug municipality) for baptisms and weddings, while the Tjøtta church (now in Alstahaug municipality) was used for confirmations and funerals after 1941. The population remained stable until the Second World War, and in 1964 the island got electricity.

In the 1960s and 1970s, things took a turn for the worse. Young people left to find work, and many went to sea. When the school in Skogsholmen was closed in 1973, all the families with children moved away. On November 1 of the same year, Brønnøysunds Avis announced that the post office had closed and the postmaster was about to leave the island. More people moved away from the weather. The government's relocation subsidy helped to encourage the move - but settlement remained steady until the early 1990s.

There have been settlements on North and South Flaterøy. There was good sandy soil on Sørbuøy, so this island was used as potato land. There were also several summer barns here. The cows were swum over to several islands to graze during the summer. Today, there are 10 residential buildings in Kilvær, all in good condition. Two of the original barns have been restored, while the others have been taken down or converted into outbuildings. In addition, several cabins have been built. The landowners use the former homes as leisure properties.

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Source

“ Vegaøyan World Heritage. Cultural History Travel Book .” by Inga E. Næss and Rita Johansen.