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Sisters' Egyptian Stones Adorn Suffolk Church Mosaic
8 Dec
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.
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.
Funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust has enabled the restoration of the chancel mosaic, which had begun to deteriorate in 2001. The revival of this unique artwork not only restores a significant piece of church history but also ensures the enduring legacy of the Baily sisters' remarkable undertaking.
