At Neglinge Gård, there has been an underground cellar in the slope west of the main building for many years.
Over the years, the underground cellar has become increasingly in disrepair and partially collapsed. In 2021, the Homeland Association decided to try to restore and rebuild the cellar. An expert on so-called overflow buildings (simpler buildings belonging to an agricultural property such as outbuildings, barns, underground cellars) at the County Administrative Board was contacted. After an inspection of the underground cellar, the assessment was made that it was well worth trying to preserve and that it was probably built sometime in the early 20th century. It was probably built during the time when Neglinge Gård was no longer leased and used as agriculture.
After 1911, the buildings at Neglinge Gård were rented out as residences to many different professional categories that were needed to build up the future residential community of Saltsjöbaden. Many lived for a limited time at the farm and in rather poor conditions with little financial resources. It is quite clear that during the construction of the underground cellar materials were used that were at hand and in many cases used building materials were reused.
During the summer of 2021, work began on rebuilding the underground cellar. A big job consisted of clearing all the slush and removing all the roots that found their way into the old roof structure. The internal wooden structure has mostly been able to be kept, but we had to replace the roof, which we covered with roofing felt and backfilled with a layer of soil. The floor in the underground cellar was excavated and a drainage is buried from the space inside the door and with a fall towards the slope where the drainage opens into a stone chest. The cellar received a new outer roof with longitudinal ridges and roofing sheet as protection against moisture and mold growth. The internal wooden structure and the new external visible parts are painted with Roslag mahogany, a mixture of wood tar, linseed oil and turpentine. A period-typical interior with a potato bin and longitudinal shelves was made, among other things, using old wide floor boards.
In September 2021, the reconstruction was complete, and in connection with the Homeland Association´s autumn market, we were able to show the cellar to the visitors. When we now can show the underground cellar, the Homeland Association has the opportunity to increase the understanding of the old way of storing food.
