Who were the sisters who brought stones from Egypt for St Lawrence Church?

The sisters were Emily and Anne-Louise Baily, who collected stones from Egypt and other regions in 1861.

What is the significance of the stones collected by the Baily sisters?

The stones were used to create a unique, grout-free mosaic for the reredos at St Lawrence Church in Great Waldingfield, Suffolk.

When was the mosaic at St Lawrence Church created and restored?

The mosaic was created in 1861 using stones brought back by the Baily sisters, and restoration work occurred recently with funding from heritage grants.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Sisters' Egyptian Stones Adorn Suffolk Church Mosaic

Sisters' Egyptian Stones Adorn Suffolk Church Mosaic

8 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Two sisters collected rare stones from Egypt in 1861 for a church mosaic.
Their adventurous European and Middle Eastern tour was unprecedented for women then.
The mosaic, featuring intermeshed stones without grout, is now restored.

Sisters' Egyptian Stones Adorn Suffolk Church Mosaic

An incredible historical narrative has been revealed during the restoration of St Lawrence Church in Great Waldingfield, Suffolk. In 1861, sisters Emily and Anne-Louise Baily undertook a groundbreaking journey across Europe and the Middle East, collecting exotic stones for a church mosaic. This ambitious feat, undertaken by women of the era with considerable personal risk, involved venturing to remote locations like Wadi Halfa.

The sisters' collection of marble, granite, porphyry, and alabaster was meticulously crafted into a mosaic for the reredos, the wall behind the altar. The intricate work, characterized by intermeshed stones and the absence of grout lines, is now being preserved. Researchers have uncovered details of the sisters' lives, highlighting their adventurous spirit and charitable deeds, including providing food for local schoolchildren.