Welcome to Brentwood

The cathedral city of Brentwood is located in the county of Essex, approximately 20 miles north-west of London and 12 miles south-west of Chelmsford.

The town has a population of around 49,300. Administratively it is within the Borough of Brentwood which covers an area of approximately 153 sq kms.

The town, which is predominantly surrounded by attractive open countryside, originally developed in the 12th-century as a rest place for pilgrims on their journey to Canterbury, and later became a staging-post for travellers. It is now part of the London commuter belt. One of the town's most notable buildings is Brentwood Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brentwood.

The town's history dates from the 12th century when a small settlement was established in a woodland clearing on the London-Colchester road. It developed into a small market town during the medieval period and it was a convenient stopping place for pilgrims, from East Anglia and the Midlands, on their way to St Thomas Becket's shrine at Canterbury. The town then prospered as a staging-post prior to the arrival of the railways in the mid 18th century.

Historically, the town was the centre of an agricultural district and a halt on the pilgrims' route. Henry III granted a Charter for a market in 1227. The growth of the wool trade and cloth industry helped in the development of the town, and there was an iron foundry in the 16th century. Today in Brentwood there is a  variety of light industry. The town is home to Amstrad, the computers and electricals company, and also headquarters of Ford UK and Ford Europe. With excellent transport links to London many residents also commute to work in the capital.

The name Brentwood means 'burnt wood' and refers to the area of fire-cleared forest in Essex where the town was established.