Countesthorpe


Countesthorpe is a large village and civil parish in the Leicestershire district of Blaby, with a population of 6,393 (2001 census, falling slightly to 6,377 at the 2011 census. It lies to the south of Leicester, and is about six miles from the city centre, but only two miles south of the suburb of South Wigston. Nearby places are Blaby and South Wigston to the north, Kilby to the east, Peatling Magna and Willoughby Waterleys to the south, and Broughton Astley, Cosby and Whetstone to the west. According to the 1066 census it had a population of 6.
The name Countesthorpe originates from the 11th century when the area was part of the marriage dowry of the Countess Judith niece of William the Conqueror. The 'thorpe' part of the name is a variant of the Middle English word thorp, meaning hamlet or small village.
The parish church of St. Andrew was started in 1220 by the family of Lord William of Ludbrook. It was restored in 1840 and again in 1907. The 14th century tower still remains.
The village has three public houses: The Axe and Square, The Bull's Head and The Railway. Another public house, the King William IV was turned into a Tesco Express in 2013. Magna 73 of the Leicestershire Senior League are an association football team who play just north of the village.
The village is twinned with the town of Mennecy in France.

Education

Countesthorpe is served by one local primary school called Greenfield Primary School. Ofsted report 2010,2014,2018 all "Good". Until September 2016 Countesthorpe had a separate high school named Leysland High School with Ofsted reviewing it as "Outstanding" in 2013 and a college called Countesthorpe Community College. Both schools were attended by the popular music group Kasabian. The two schools joined and became an "Academy" called Countesthorpe Leysland Community College with Ofsted reviews in 2013 "Outstanding" and 2019 "Inadequate".

Notable residents