Just outside Trondheim, in exact position 63°20'35.70”N 10°25'16.19”E there is one single piece remaining from a church which apperantly stood on the site a long time ago. From what I gather, the church we see the remains of today, is the church which was built the year after a lot of the surrounding areas were damaged in a mud-avalanche on Thursday March 7th in 1816. There is some information about the avalanche in Norwegian here. Additionally, there is another article here about this “Tillerskredet” (in Norwegian as well). This place is the outer edge of the 1816 mud-avalanche.
From the second article, I would like to share this translated piece of history:
The newly built Tiller church of 1801-1802 fell off the edge of the avalanche, and was completely swallowed. It must have been a horrific sight seeing the church with the church bell in it’s bell-tower ringing, and the coffins on the adjacent cemetary coming up from the ground. From records of the time, we can see there was a purchase of nails made, to repair the coffins which had resurfaced. The only item found from the church was a communion-dish. The church and all the people who were buried in the avalanche, is still today resting in the soil around the banks of the river.
Apparently, 8 horses, and 15 people lost their lives in the 550 acre avalanche which started at 17:30 hours in the afternoon on Thursday March 7th 1816. A sulfuric smell was released by the avalanche, and hung in the area for several days after the event.
The muddy masses blocked the Nidelven river by Tiller bridge, and when the collected water and ice later broke through the newly formed dam, the city was in panic fearing the mass of water coming down the Nidelven river. The rushing water came down the river, and caused extensive damages to both Upper and Lower Leirfossen, and to the old city bridge (Gamle Bybro). The big disaster which could have made unthinkable impact on the city center of Trondheim, was luckily averted due to a harsh cold-periode during the winter which lowered the water level downstream to a minimum.
