Brentwood is a town in Essex, England, in the London commuter belt 20 miles (30 km) north-east of Charing Cross and close to the M25 motorway.

Although a Bronze Age axe has been found in Brentwood and there are clear signs of an entrenched encampment in Weald Country Park, it is considered unlikely that there was any significant early settlement of the area.

It is believed that despite the Roman road between London and Colchester passing through the town, the Saxons were the earliest settlers of the area.

[3] The borough was on a crossroads, where the Roman road from Colchester to London crossed the route the pilgrims took over the River Thames to Canterbury.

The ruin stands in the centre of the high street and the nearby parish church of Brentwood, built in the 1880s, retains the dedication to St. Thomas of Canterbury.

It is likely, however, that Brentwood's development was due chiefly to its main road position, its market, and its convenient location as an administrative centre.

[6] During the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, Brentwood was the meeting place for some of the instigators, such as John Ball and Jack Straw.

One of the oldest buildings in Brentwood; it is believed to have been built in 1480 although apocryphal evidence suggests a hostelry might have stood on the site as much as a hundred years earlier and been visited in 1392 by Richard II, whose coat of arms included a White Hart.

[9] The building now shows little of its original historic interest, Marygreen Manor, a 16th-century building on London Road, is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diaries and is said to have been often visited by the Tudor monarch Henry VIII when Henry Roper, Gentleman Pursuant to Queen Catherine of Aragon, lived there in 1514.

[6] As the Roman road grew busier, Brentwood became a major coaching stop for stagecoaches, with plenty of inns for overnight accommodation as the horses were rested.

This has not changed; there is an above average number of pubs in the area - possibly due to the army being stationed at Warley Barracks until 1958.

[13] Daniel Defoe wrote about Brentwood as being "...full of good inns, and chiefly maintained by the excessive multitude of carriers and passengers,[14] which are constantly passing this way to London, with droves of cattle, provisions and manufactures."

Sir William was assistant to Thomas Cromwell when Henry VIII sought to dissolve the monasteries and ascended to the confidential post of Secretary of State, throughout the revolutionary changes of four Tudor monarchs: Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

A few buildings remain from the Barracks – the regimental chapel, the gymnasium (now home to Brentwood Trampoline Club) and the officers' mess (now Marillac Hospital).

It also had strategic importance during the time of the Spanish Armada - it was used as a meeting place for contingents from eight eastern and midland counties (900 horsemen assembled here) to then travel on to Tilbury.

The urban district was substantially enlarged in 1934, when the neighbouring parishes of Childerditch, East Horndon, Hutton, Ingrave, Little Warley, Shenfield, South Weald and West Horndon were all abolished and absorbed into Brentwood (with some adjustments to the boundaries with other neighbouring parishes).

[36] Owned and maintained by an independent charity, Brentwood Theatre receives no regular arts funding or subsidy.

InMe were heavily supported in their early years by the venue, whose purpose is to promote and encourage youth bands.

It also plays host to private events such as a weekly jazz club that was run by the saxophonist Spike Robinson until his death.

Both venues co-host the Brentwood Blues Festival, a music event that has played host to the Blockheads and Bill Wyman.

David Pickthall serves as musical director[42] when not scoring films and television shows for the BBC, directing British orchestras, and composing.

Brentwood's Orchestras for Young People was founded in 1990 and grew to include five ensembles for orchestral instrumentalists of school age, who perform regularly in and around the town.

This has been cited as showing the success of the Metropolitan Green Belt in halting the outward spread of London's built-up area.

[44] Brentwood has a number of public open spaces including King George V Playing Field, Shenfield Common, and two country parks at South Weald and Thorndon.

Weald Country Park was first chosen to hold the 2012 Olympics mountain biking but was declared to be "too easy" a course.

Brentwood Hockey Club is also based in the town at the Old County Ground and fielded 6 men's and 5 ladies' league teams for the 2014–15 season.

In September 2022, the Beagles appointed former Chief Executive of Brentwood Borough Council, Bob McLintock, as their inaugural President.

Ted Blake, a long-term Brentwood resident, was managing director of Nissen UK from its inception until shortly before it closed and became a leading figure worldwide in the development of modern trampolining.

The other main bus service providers include Arriva Herts & Essex Ensignbus, and Stagecoach London.

Brentwood railway station is located to the south of the town centre and is served by frequent Elizabeth line services between Shenfield and London Paddington via Liverpool Street, with two trains per hour continuing to Heathrow Terminal 5.