The Essex town of Brentwood grew up at a stopping place on the main route into London from Colchester, in a clearing in the forest that covered much of the region. This was also the medieval pilgrim route to Canterbury, and as such the parish church is dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury. Many inns and hostelries catered for the travellers, some of which are still standing today, and a number of large houses and Brentwood School are evidence of the town’s prosperity in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the nineteenth century Warley Hospital and Warley Barracks were built in the town. Brentwood’s proximity to London saw it grow extensively in the twentieth century when the Roman Catholic cathedral and Town Hall were built, with further redevelopment in the twenty-first century.Brentwood in 50 Buildings explores the history of this fascinating town through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place in Brentwood over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live in Brentwood or who have an interest in the town.
