For 200 years, Lauterhorn, the headland north of Lauterviken, was Fårö's most important industrial area. In the 1660s, Fårö's first large limestone kiln was built here, where the island's valuable limestone was burned into lime for export on a large scale. Lime burning then took place at this site for 200 years and a small mill grew up at Lauter with lime cartridge farms and smaller buildings for lime kilns and other workers. The lime ships carried the barrels of finished lime from the excellent port to various Baltic Sea ports in Denmark and Germany.
When lime exports were subject to customs duties, customs officers came to work here as well as pilots who assisted the visiting ships. For their business, a small, simple stone guardhouse was built here with a single room, a fireplace and a relatively large window from which they had a view of the lime kiln and harbor.
When the business was closed down, the small cottage was left standing and eventually became a ruin. Fårö Hembygdsförening has a usufruct agreement on the house, has renovated it and provided it with a simple interior with a table and some benches. The cottage is constantly open to visitors who can not only visit it but also, when desired or needed, settle down here, light a fire in the fireplace and consume their packed lunch.
A huge guestbook is usually filled most every year, e.g. of guests seeking refuge here from rain, storm and cold.
Text: Fårö Hembygdsförening
