Sannidal

Prior to the present church there was a stave church dating back to 1200, which was located on the small hill to the south of the present church. The reason for building the new one was that the stave church was dilapidated, a cold and drafty place during the winter period. The stave church was dedicated to St. Laurentius, the Roman deacon burnt on the fire during the persecution of Christians in 258 under the emperor Valerian.

Remains of the old stave church can be seen in the present church and old planks are used in the floor and roof. Some remains are also stored at Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo where the pulpit and altarpiece are displayed. Stave churches date back a long time in Norway, they came with the introduction of Christianity to Norway and a total of more than 750 were once in use, today 31 remain.

The location for the church is also historical in that in pre-Christian times, before the years 1000–1100 in Norway, the place was used as a site for worshipping the old Norse gods. There was most probably a gudehov (pagan temple) located here.

The first time the church is mentioned is in Bishop Eystein's "red book" from 1398. Here it is referred to as "Moo kirkia j Sandhauka dale". Eystein Aslaksson was bishop in Oslo from 1385, and he was given the job of getting the poor economy of his bishopric in shape. During his yearly visitation he collected material describing the church's earthly goods. The name red book stems from the red cover it was given during the 16th century.

The stave church was located in the grounds of Moo farm, hence the name. Today the area is referred to as Mo, with the original farm halfway up the hill to the north of the church. Farms with single-syllable names are usually the oldest in the area, and in this case refer to being a farm located on a sand- and gravel-rich moraine.

The Church vestibule was restored for the 200-year-Jubilee in 1972 by recommendation of the Chief Inspector of Historic Buildings. It houses a grave plate cast at Mørland foundry in Kjølebrønd, in olden times a very busy place, south along the Kil fjord. The foundry was operational 1641–65 and the grave plate is from 1643 with the name Anna Krefting on it, probably the wife of Herman Krefting, who operated the foundry in its first years.

The old entrance door displayed on the south wall is from the old stave church as are the wooden entrance pillars on both sides of the door to the church nave. A small sword used to protect oneself on the way to church is also displayed on the south wall. Wild animals and robbers were a common occurrence in Norway, in fact so common that the Norwegian name for the vestibule is våpenhuset, the place to store weapons. Weapons are not to be worn in the room where Christ the Saviour is worshipped. A visitor to a Sunday service at the church might notice some people wear a sheathed knife in their belt: in Sannidal this is not a weapon, but is a most important tool for the Sannidøl, the home of many famous knife smiths and makers. A portrait gallery of vicars is also to be seen on the south wall. The longest reigning vicar, Torkell A. Tande, was also a member of parliament for many years.

The pulpit was donated by Knut Knutsen Dobbe and made in the early 19th century in a late Louis XVI style modelled along antique ideas. It is carved by Peder Olsen, a foundry model maker engaged by Bolvig, Froland and Egelands foundry. The old soapstone christening font dates back to 1200. Next to the pulpit and the reader's chair there are two Gothic style two-armed candlestick holders going back to the 15th century. The importance of timber and later ice export on sailing ships for the area can be seen in the warrior sailing ship with cannons ready to fight for Christ.

The altar silver and Eucharist vessels also date back to the stave church and were given as gifts in the beginning of the 18th century. The storage case for the Eucharist bread was a gift from the skipper and the owner of the skip Patriarchen Jacob in thanks to God for intervening and saving the ship off the coast of Holland in 1703. A wine mug in silver was given in 1708 by skipper Olle Nielsøn and both his sons Niels and Jon Olesøn together with seven others. The intention was "to honour God and for beautifying of the altar in Sannidal church", according to the Norwegian engraved on it. The altar piece showing the crucifixion of Christ comes from the old "Christi kirke" in Kragerø dismantled in 1870. The piece is from the 17th century.

On the altar lies a Frederik 2nd edition bible, printed in Copenhagen in 1589. Nils Jensen Farsjø donated it. The eye on the top of the altar piece is decorated with painted cherubs and radiating light; it probably also comes from the old "Christi kirke".