General
People have lived around the district of Egersund since the stone ages. Several places one can find ruins of settlements dating back to the age of migrations in Norway (400�600 BC). The name "Egersund" derives from the Norse name for the strait between Eiger�y and the mainland, which was called Eikundarsund. The name of Eiger�y (Norse: Eikund) comes from the rich deposits of oak trees (Eik = Norwegian for oak). The name is among the oldest placenames in Norway. It can already be found in the form Eikundarsund in the Norse saga of Olav the Holy, written by Icelandic author Snorri Sturlasson in the 13th century. From around the year 1000 Olav the Holy's fleet was here often. We can also find the name in texts and scaldic poems from Olav's saga.
There used to be a church here, the Church of St. Mary, mentioned in 1292 in a privilege of indulgence issued in Rome on February 5, 1292 by Pope Nicholas IV as Ecclesia beat� Mari� de Eikundarsund. It was the first church in Eikundarsund, and was the parish church of Maria parish. It is believed to have been located where the present church stands today. Old folklore from Egersund also says that before the Church of St. Mary, an altar where people sacrificed to the old Norse gods was placed here, but this has not been verified from any sources except old stories.
There was also a chapel, the chapel of St. Laurenti, mentioned in a letter issued on February 5 of 1308 as Ecclesia beati Laurentii de Eikundarsund, where Pope Clement V gives King H�kon V Magnusson extensive privileges concerning the king's 14 chapels (including the chapel of St. Laurenti), which was founded by himself or his father, King Magnus Lagab�te, and his grandfather, King H�kon H�konson. Since these chapels often were built on the king's estates it is presumed to have been on grounds owned by the Husab� estate. An old tradition says it was located at what is now Strandgata 43, but the exact position is somewhat uncertain
