Not to miss

The Brentwood School

Only in England could 'manners' feature in a school motto. In 1557, the very bad-mannered Sir Anthony Browne founded this public school as punishment for burning a man to death. It takes boys and girls - although it was a few hundred years before females were admitted. Among its famous pupils: Douglas Adams, author of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'.

Thomas à Becket Chapel

Thomas Becket's murder at Canterbury in 1170 was fundamental to the Brentwood's growth. The crossing point of two main roads, the town site was a stopover for a growing number of pilgrims passing on their way to Canterbury. So, the Vicar of South Weald permitted the Abbot of St Osyth to build a chapel - it was dedicated to St Thomas. Only the ruins remain.

Weald Country Park

Weald Country Park is a huge parkland dotted with lakes. Once a playground for deer, it became a hunting ground for abbots in 1063. After years of running in the opposite direction, the deer were reintroduced in 1987. Don't miss the visitor centre with its colourful historic displays, and the remains of an Iron Age settlement dating back to 1 BC.