It is the home of Thermos, the manufacturers of the vacuum flasks, Brentwood School and Amstrad, the computers and electricals company.
Robert Graves claims that Brentwood was the site of the battle where Claudius defeated the Ancient Britons in 44 C. E.
Brentwood was also the home of the East India Company's Elephant training school - the site is now headquarters of Ford UK and Ford Europe.
Brentwood Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic bishop of Brentwood.