ANCIENT HAHKIALA

In the 15th, 16th and the first half of the 17th century, the village of Hahkiala has been fiefdomed to several different people. Mostly these have belonged to families known from the history of our country. In these counties, initially three, later six houses of the village of Hahkiala have formed a rather small part. The owners of the leases have not lived in the village. There are mentions of Hahkiala in various sources since the 15th century. The names of the owners of the houses can probably still be found, at least to a large extent, in the county house lists from Riksarkivet in Stockholm.

The most comprehensive and apparently quite reliable report on Hahkiala was prepared by the then chancellor of justice, Axel Charpentier. It was published in 1922 in the publication series: Herrgårdar i Finland.

During the end of the 15th century and the 16th century, Hahkiala's estates have been subjugated to the Tawastei. Fifty Finnish noblemen were executed in connection with the final debriefings of the Nuija War. The fiefdom returned to the crown. However, Arvid Henrikinpoja's widow, Margareta Maununtytär from Kurjala, was allowed to keep her inheritance from the fiefdom. The village of Hahkiala fell to the commissioner, Adam Skreffare, in 1602. Gustavus II Adolf, on the other hand, returned Hahkiala to Margareta Maununtyttära in 1614. Margareta died soon after this and the land property returned to the crown.

In 1618, the assessor of the Court of Appeal of Turku, horse master Olof Dufva received, among other things, three premises in the village of Hahkiala as a rail. After his death in 1632, the shares of the premises were transferred to his widow Kristina Wildeman. He died in 1651. In the same year, Hahkiala was given as a gift land to Toussaint Charpentier, a native of Normandy, who had served meritoriously in the Swedish army in the Thirty Years' War.

Carpenter Hahkiala

When Toussaint Charpentier came to Hahkiala, the farms were cultivated by peasants or deserted. Unstable times and partly carelessness were the reason that the ownership of Hahkiala by the Charpentiers was not established until the end of the 17th century. It was finally consolidated in 1765 with the regulation of succession.

From 1730 to 1782, the farm was owned by Claes Robert Charpentier. He expanded the manor significantly by buying farms in the surrounding area. During his time, Hahkiala manor was at its largest. He also built a new main building, which replaced the main building destroyed by fire in 1694. He also ensured that the nature of the farm was changed to a statutory inheritance farm in 1765. In the absence of a breast heir, King Gustav III approved the transfer of the farm by will to Claes Robert's nephew Carl Fredrik L'Eclair. The king ennobled him and gave the right to use the Charpentier name.

Carl Fredrik married Margareta Blomcreutz. They had 20 children, 16 of whom lived longer than their parents. In 1882, Hahkiala Manor passed to Gustaf Robert Alfred Charpentier. He later became a senator. He was apparently a very progressive farmer and made many reforms in Hahkiala. Barn and stable buildings, a dairy, granary and greenhouses, as well as a brick kiln and a sawmill were built on the farm. Apartments were built for the workers, a school for the children of the crofters and a nursing home for the elderly.

The senator's son Axel Fredrik Charpentier got the farm after the senator's death in 1914. He became the first chancellor of justice of independent Finland for the years 1918–1927. He built the farm's current main building between 1915 and 1917. The main building was designed by architect Karl Lindahl. The building represents a modified Swedish baroque style.

The Chancellor of Justice died in 1949. The Inheritance Act was repealed in Finland in 1930. The estate was divided among the heirs in 1950. Itä-Hahkiala was farmed by Dr. Claes Axel Gustav Charpentier. Länsi-Hahkiala was cultivated by mountain councilor and CEO of Suomen Soker, Gunnar Hernberg, whose initiative, among others, Länsi-Hahkiala was sold to the Kaupan Agricultural Foundation in 1963.

Hahikala today

Hahkiala manor house is for private use. Its glorious hospitality and genuine experiences can be enjoyed by booking the premises privately, allowing you to experience manor life with your own chef and concierge service. Otherwise, the manor, its courtyard and garden are closed to the public.