The wild earl

Gammel Estrup’s role as the centre of one of Denmark’s largest estates came to an end with Jørgen Scheel (1768-1825), who lived a life of extravagance at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. 

Together with his wife, Christiane Mette Bille-Brahe, he managed to squander the enormous Skeel fortune, resulting in one of the most remarkable financial scandals in the history of Denmark. 

In 1815 he was declared bankrupt and the family only managed to retain the manor itself because of Gammel Estrup’s status as an entailed estate.