The royal estate in Gudhem was probably gifted to the Order of St Benedict by King Charles the VII sometime in the 1160s. There have, however, always been rumours that a monastery was founded here as early as in 1052. Based on the new findings from the archaeological digs in Varnhem, which brought back the time when Christianity emerged by 150 years, this is no longer impossible. Be this as it may; the monastery in Gudhem is still considered one of the earliest in Sweden. Gudhem is also home to the sarcophagus of Queen Catherine (a replica – the original is in Stockholm). Read more about this in the section about the history of the mill.