Varhaug (municipality)

Varhaug is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1894 until 1964. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Varhaug where Varhaug Church is located. The municipality encompassed the central part of the present-day Hå Municipality. It included the villages of Varhaug and Vigrestad as well as the surrounding countryside. The municipality of Varhaug was established in 1894 when the old municipality of Hå was divided into two municipalities: Nærbø (population: 1801) and Varhaug (population: 1806). On 1 January 1964, there were many major municipal mergers in Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On that date the three neighboring municipalities of Varhaug, Nærbø, and Ogna were all merged to form the municipality of Hå. The village of Varhaug became the administrative centre for the new, larger municipality. Prior to the merger, Varhaug municipality had a population of 3,454. The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Varhaug farm (Varhaugr) since the first Varhaug Church was built there. The first element is likely the word vǫr which means "row of stones" (such as a stone jetty) or "pile of stones" (such as after a landslide). The last element is haugr which means "burial mound" or "cairn". While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Varhaug was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms.