Brentford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brentford |
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 Skyline of Brentford town centre, facing south-west. |
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 Brentford
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| Area | 5.87 km2 (2.27 sq mi) |
| Population | 27,907 (Syon, Brentford wards 2011) |
| • Density | 4,754/km2 (12,310/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ1878 |
| • Charing Cross | 8 mi (12.9 km) WNW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRENTFORD |
| Postcode district | TW8 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly |
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Brentford is a town in West London, England. It's part of the London Borough of Hounslow. You can find it where the River Brent meets the Thames, about 8 miles (13 km) west of Charing Cross.
Brentford has many company headquarters, marking the start of the M4 corridor. It also has two train stations and a Tube station nearby. The town centre has shops and restaurants. In recent years, old warehouses and docks have been redeveloped. This includes new shops, homes, and apartments along the waterfront, like Brentford Dock.
Contents
History
What's in a Name?
The name Brentford comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word, Breguntford, used in 705 AD. It means 'ford over the River Brent'. A 'ford' is a shallow place where you can cross a river.
The River Brent's name comes from an ancient British word meaning "high" or "holy." The river might have been linked to a goddess named Brigantia. The word '-ford' is from Old English. The crossing point was probably where a main road crossed the river.
There are two parts to Brentford: New Brentford (once called Westbraynford) and Old Brentford (once called Estbraynford).
Ancient Times
Brentford was a settlement even before the Romans came to Britain. This means it's older than London! Many ancient items have been found here, especially in an area called 'Old England'.
Archaeologists have found Bronze Age pottery and burnt flints. The number and quality of these items suggest that Brentford was an important meeting place for ancient tribes. One famous Iron Age piece is the Brentford horn-cap, a special chariot fitting from around 100 BC to 50 AD. It has a unique Celtic knot pattern, called the 'Brentford Knot', which is still used in modern jewellery.
Some local stories say that Julius Caesar crossed the Thames here in 54 BC during his invasion of Britain. They say he fought a battle nearby. In the early 1900s, sharp stakes were found in the riverbed at Brentford Dock. Some people thought this proved Caesar's story, but later digs haven't fully supported this idea.
Brentford was historically part of Middlesex. Since 1965, it has been part of Greater London.
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English Civil War
In November 1642, during the English Civil War, a Royalist army attacked London. They defeated a smaller Parliamentarian force in a battle at Brentford. The town was badly damaged after the fight.
Local Fun
The Brentford Festival is a local fair that has been held every September since 1900. It's a fun event for the community.
Brentford Dock's Story
The construction of Brentford Dock began in 1855 and it officially opened in 1859. This dock yard is now a Marina and a housing estate with homes. It was designed by the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was a major freight hub for the Great Western Railway, connecting goods from the Thames to trains.
Famous Families
The Hardwick family, an 18th and 19th-century father and son team, were famous architects from Brentford. Thomas Hardwick Junior helped build Somerset House and designed many churches. He also taught the famous painter J. M. W. Turner, helping him start his art career.
Timeline of Brentford
- 781: A meeting called the Council of Brentford settled a dispute between King Offa of Mercia and the Bishop of Worcester.
- 1016: The first Battle of Brentford took place between Canute and Edmund Ironside.
- 1431: Syon Abbey moved to Brentford.
- 1539: King Henry VIII ordered the destruction of Syon Abbey.
- 1616–1617: Pocahontas, a Native American woman, lived in Brentford with her husband and son.
- 1642: The second Battle of Brentford happened during the English Civil War.
- 1805: The Grand Junction Canal (now the Grand Union Canal) began operations.
- 1815–1817: John Quincy Adams, who later became the sixth President of the US, lived in Brentford.
- 1841: Brentford was flooded when the Brent Reservoir overflowed.
- 1849: The Hounslow Loop Line train service started, serving stations like Kew Bridge and Brentford Central.
- 1859: The Great Western & Brentford Railway opened, connecting Brentford Dock to the main railway line.
- 1884: Boston Manor Underground station opened.
- 1889: Brentford Football Club was founded by a rowing club looking for a winter sport.
- 1925: The Great West Road officially opened. The Brentford section became known as the Golden Mile because many factories moved there, creating jobs.
- 1965: The elevated section of the M4 motorway opened.
Economy
Brentford is home to many businesses. Some of the companies with offices here include:
- Allianz Cornhill Animal Health
- Brompton Bicycle (makers of folding bikes)
- Global Blue
- JCDecaux UK
- Sega Europe
- Sky
- ViiV Healthcare
- WorleyParsons
Landmarks
The Syon Estate
Syon House is a large mansion and park in Brentford. It's the London home of the Duke of Northumberland. Part of its land is now a public nature reserve. The estate also has a hotel, visitor centre, and garden centre.
Syon Abbey, which was torn down and replaced by Syon House, had the biggest abbey church in England during the Middle Ages. Its exact location was a mystery until archaeologists found its foundations in 2003 and 2004. The abbey church was even bigger than Westminster Abbey is today!
The London Butterfly House in Syon Park was a large glasshouse filled with butterflies and moths. Visitors could watch them fly and emerge from their chrysalises. It also had ants, tropical birds, and a small display of reptiles and insects. It closed in 2007.
Boston Manor House, built in 1622, is a beautiful Jacobean manor house. It's known for its amazing plasterwork ceilings.
Brentford Monument
In 1909, a monument was created from two stone pillars that once held lamps on the old Brentford bridge. It now stands at the junction of Brentford High Street and Alexandra Road. The monument remembers four important events in Brentford's history:
- Julius Caesar supposedly crossing the Thames in 54 BC.
- The Council of Brentford in 781.
- King Canute being defeated by King Edmund Ironside in the first Battle of Brentford in 1016.
- The second Battle of Brentford in 1642.
Churches of Brentford
Saint Paul's Church was built in 1868. Its tall spire is a clear landmark. Inside, you can see a painting by local artist Johann Zoffany called Christ's Last Supper.
Saint Faith's Church is another Anglican church, built between 1906 and 1907 in the Gothic Revival style. The poet John Betjeman described it as looking like "a great ship over the housetops."
Saint Lawrence's Church has been on its site since the 12th century, but most of the church was rebuilt in 1764. It closed in 1961 and is now in a derelict state, but its graveyard still holds the Ronalds vault.
Saint John the Evangelist's Church opened in 1866. It was built for Irish railway workers.
Saint George's Church was built in 1886. The famous Last Supper painting by Zoffany was moved here. This church closed in 1959 and is now being turned into flats.
Around Brentford
Gunnersbury Park Museum is in Gunnersbury House. It holds artifacts and old furnishings from the wealthy Rothschild family.
You can see Kew Gardens from some of Brentford's taller buildings.
The Weir pub, once called 'The White Horse', was where the artist J. M. W. Turner lived when he was ten. Many believe he started his interest in painting there.
Other Interesting Places
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Brentford Public Library is a Carnegie library, built in 1904. Outside, you'll find the Brentford War Memorial.
Brentford Baths (1896) is a Grade II listed example of late Victorian architecture.
The London Museum of Water & Steam has the world's largest working beam engine. Its tall, narrow tower is a symbol of the town.
The Musical Museum has a huge collection of mechanical musical instruments, like player pianos and a Wurlitzer organ.
The Butts Estate is a Georgian square with several Grade II listed buildings, some from as far back as 1680.
Sports
Brentford F.C. is a professional English football club based in Brentford. They play in the Premier League. The club was started in 1889 by members of a rowing club who wanted a winter sport. They play their home games at the Gtech Community Stadium. The club has rivalries with nearby teams like Fulham and QPR.
Transport
Nearest London Underground stations:
- Northfields
- Boston Manor
- South Ealing
- Gunnersbury
Nearest railway stations:
- Brentford railway station
- Kew Bridge railway station
- Syon Lane railway station
In Literature
The phrase 'like two kings of Brentford' means former enemies who are now good friends. You can find this phrase in:
- The play The Rehearsal (1672) by George Villiers.
- The poem The Sofa by William Cowper.
- The novel Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott.
See also
In Spanish: Brentford para niños
