The curious name of the parish comes from nearby Lizard Hill, where, in medieval days, there was a 'lazar' or leprosy settlement. The oldest parts of the church are the tower and a section of the east wall, which are Norman. The present church which stands in the grounds of Weston Park was built in 1701 by Lady Wilbraham who also designed the Hall. It is one of few examples of church building of the period.
The family histories of the Lords of the Manor can be traced through monuments within the church. Two of the earliest are the wooden effigies in the sanctuary. One is
Sir Hamo de Weston, a crusader who died in 1189 and the other Sir Hugo de Weston, who has a splendidly carved dog (symbolising his faithfulness) at his feet. After them came de Pershalls, Myttons, Newports and then the present Bridgeman family. The Bradford chapel to the right of the altar records their recent history and their heraldic crest can be seen above their monument.
Most of the stained glass in the church is nineteenth century, but there are some pieces of medieval glass incorporated in the window above the altar, namely the figures of Sir John de Weston and his wife Lady Isabella and nine coats of arms. Some seventeenth century Netherlandish or German panels have also been included in the design of the first window on the left as you enter the church. There is a fine example of Arts and Crafts style in the depiction of St. George and Two Angels on the left hand side. The window at the east end of the Bradford chapel is by the famous Victorian designer C.E.Kempe. The angels in this nativity scene display the peacock feather detail in their wings that was one of Kempe‘s artistic characteristics.
An interesting monument can be seen on the right hand wall of the nave, a bas relief carving of the 'Ship of Souls'. The ship symbolises the journey of a soul through life, and underneath it is carved a seaplane, in which the member of the Bridgeman family to whom it is dedicated lost his life.
The population of the village is about 250.
Information taken from cards kept in the church for the use of visitors, which detail the stained glass, in particular, in greater detail., © Eric. R Gregory & Rudi Herbert.
Historic records of St Andrew, Weston under Lizard have been deposited at
Staffordshire Record Office, where they are available for consultation by
the public. These include the parish registers of baptisms 1701-1805,
1813-1998, marriages 1701-1972, and burials 1701-1997.
A catalogue of these records is available in "Gateway to the Past" - the online catalogue of the
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service. The Archive Service's
website provides further information on
planning a visit to the office to consult records, should you wish to do so.
