Behold the Cloven Stones. Right here in Baldrine’s quiet garden. These aren’t just any stones. They’re remnants of a chambered tomb. A burial place from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. Imagine people from those times. They built this impressive structure. It was once a much grander affair. A cairn of stones covered this rectangular tomb. Approximately two meters square. The eastern stone. The tallest one. It’s split right down the middle. That’s how it got its name. The Cloven Stones.
North-northeast of the main chamber. You can see two portal stones. These stones guarded the entrance perhaps. The tomb may have even had two compartments. Think of the rituals. The ceremonies. The lives of those buried here. Experts believe the Cloven Stones are a later example of this kind of megalithic burial. Megalithic meaning big ancient stones. Sometimes forming circles or groups.
Interestingly enough. A painting exists. It’s called “The Cloven Stones on the rd between Douglas & Laxey Isle of Man Sept 1873”. It’s signed LWT. Laura Wilson Taylor. A talented composer and artist. She lived in the late 1800s. She and her husband. Tom Taylor. They would have lived not far from here. One wonders if they knew the history of these stones. If they ever contemplated their age. Or the stories whispered by the wind around them.
Even today. The Cloven Stones stand as a silent testament. A story etched in stone. A glimpse into the past. A testament to the ancient people who lived here. Their beliefs. Their customs. Their lives. It’s a moment of connection. A silent conversation across millennia. A mystery unraveling before your very eyes. These Cloven Stones continue to whisper stories to those who take the time to listen.