Countisbury
{{Short description|Village in Devon, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Countisbury
| civil_parish = Brendon and Countisbury
| country= England
| region= South West England
|coordinates = {{Coord|51.232|-3.796|display=title|type:city_region:GB}}
| os_grid_reference=
| post_town=
| postcode_area=
| postcode_district=
| dial_code=
| constituency_westminster =
| shire_district= North Devon
| shire_county= Devon
| hide_services= Yes
| population =66
| population_ref = (2001 census)
| area_total_km2=
|static_image=St John the Baptist Church (geograph 4467098).jpg
|static_image_caption=St John the Evangelist Church
|website=
}}
Countisbury{{cite web|url =https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/Countisbury| title = Countisbury|website =Genuki| accessdate = 16 July 2019}} is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brendon and Countisbury, in the North Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It is on Exmoor,{{cite web|url = https://www.geograph.org.uk/browse.php?p=134520 |accessdate= 18 July 2019|title = SS7449|website =Geograph}} roughly two miles east of Lynmouth along the A39. It has a church{{cite web| url = http://www.exmoorher.co.uk/hbsmr-web/Record.aspx?UID=MDE20045 |title = MDE20045 - St John the Evangelist Church, Countisbury (Building)|accessdate= 18 July 2019| website = The Historic Environment Record for Exmoor National Park}} and pub.{{cite web | url = http://www.devonsfinest.co.uk/the-blue-ball-inn-p-1358-62 | title = The Blue Ball Inn | website = Devon's Finest | accessdate = 18 July 2019 | archive-date = 4 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032019/http://www.devonsfinest.co.uk/the-blue-ball-inn-p-1358-62 | url-status = dead }} The National Trust owns the other buildings.{{cite web| url = http://www.nationaltrustholidays.org.uk/holiday-cottage/countisbury-hill-cottage-lynton-devon/ |title =Countisbury Hill Cottage Lynton, Devon| website =National Trust |access-date = 20 July 2019}}{{cite web| url = http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/PAttachments//Applications%20Devon/Year%202013/Brendon%20Countisbury%2062.11/62.11.13.008LB/62.11.13.008LB.0%20Design%20and%20Access%20Statement.pdf| title = 62.11.13.008LB.0 Design and Access statement| website = Exmoor National Park| access-date = 20 July 2019| archive-date = 4 March 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111321/http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/PAttachments//Applications%20Devon/Year%202013/Brendon%20Countisbury%2062.11/62.11.13.008LB/62.11.13.008LB.0%20Design%20and%20Access%20Statement.pdf| url-status = dead}} In 2001 the parish had a population of 66.
On 1 April 2013 the parish was abolished and merged with Brendon to form "Brendon and Countisbury".{{cite web | url = http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/12079/nddc-rocg-no-1-order-2012.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190716200710/http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/12079/nddc-rocg-no-1-order-2012.pdf | archive-date= 16 July 2019| url-status=live | title = The North Devon District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) No. 1 Order 2012 | date = 26 October 2012 | accessdate = 16 February 2016 | publisher = North Devon District Council }}
Scholars {{Cite book| first=FM |last =Stenton| title = Anglo-Saxon England| publisher = Oxford University Press |edition = 2nd| date = 1947| pages = 241n, 253}}{{Cite book| first1=Simon |last1 = Keynes|first2= Michael| last2= Lapidge| title =King Alfred| date= 1983| publisher= Penguin Books |page = 84}} now believe the Iron Age promontory fort of Wind Hill on Countisbury Hill was the site of the Battle of Cynuit in 878.