Brentwood is a town and county seat of Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 4,490.

Division and redivision

The town was once a part of Exeter known as Brentwood (or Brintwood) Parish. It was named after Brentwood, Essex, originally called "Burnt Wood", where, in 1177, King Henry II granted permission for of the king's forest to be cut, burned and cultivated.

Beginning in 1738, residents living in the southwestern portion of Exeter, now Brentwood and Fremont, petitioned to be set off, but were denied. They cited difficulty of getting to the Exeter church/meetinghouse, where weekly attendance was obligatory, and the requirement to pay Exeter taxes. Eighteen people wrote in dissent, saying that even the proposed new town would require travel more than two miles to a new meetinghouse.

The meetinghouse was planned at "the west side of the 'Gully'", but those living south of the Exeter River said it was hard to reach in spring and fall. For a while, church was held at two venues, north and south of the river.

Residents petitioned for a dividing line between the midpoints of the northern and southern boundaries. In 1744, Gov. Wentworth issued a King's Patent to establish a new town called "Keeneborough Parish", named after his friend, Sir Benjamin Keene (1697–1757), English minister to Spain. Brentwood continued to tax the residents of Keeneborough; It was called the "poor farm" or the "county farm", but the only current farming is hay. It has administrative offices, a nursing home, and the county jail. In 1997, when county offices and courts moved from the Exeter courthouse to a former industrial headquarters off Calef Road, Brentwood became the county seat. These were settled in 2014, as the judge ruled that Exeter's posting was illegal. Brentwood had to reimburse Exeter, but only the amounts for upgrading Pine Road to handle the heavy vehicles.

The 2014 fatal shooting of police officer Stephen Arkell, who arrived at a condominium to investigate a domestic disturbance, led to many memorials and continuing events in his name, such as an annual 5K run. In 2021, the section of Route 125 within Brentwood was officially named the Officer Stephen Arkell Memorial Highway.

Geography

Brentwood is a nearly square quadrangle, except that the town line follows the Exeter River in the southeastern corner.

Brentwood has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 0.93% of the town.

Transportation

<DIV STYLE="float:right">

{| CLASS="wikitable"

|+ 20px|text-bottom|alt=NH 101|link=New Hampshire Route 101 exits serving Brentwood

| Exit 7

| 20px|text-bottom|alt=NH 125|link=New Hampshire Route 125 (Calef Road)

|-

| Exit 8

| North Road to 20px|text-bottom|alt=NH 27|link=New Hampshire Route 27

|}</DIV>

Middle Road (Route 111A) runs east/west and bisects the town. Other east–west roads are North Road and South Road. Calef Road (Route 125) is the principal north–south road.

The expressway Route 101 approximately follows Brentwood's northern boundary. It provides access to Manchester and to the Seacoast. Route 101 crosses into northeast Brentwood, as does Route 27 (old 101) beyond it. Part of New England Dragway is in Brentwood.

Route 111A east to Exeter gains access to Route 7 of the COAST bus system, and to a train station served by the Amtrak Downeaster. At the park and ride lot off Calef Road just north of Brentwood, there is bus service to Boston, Massachusetts and its Logan Airport. Shuttle bus service can be arranged to Manchester Boston Regional Airport.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,486 people, 1,319 households, and 1,087 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,350 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.3% White, 0.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% some other race, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 1,319 households, out of which 46.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.6% were headed by married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.6% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02, and the average family size was 3.33.

Government

Brentwood's executive is a five-person Selectboard, serving staggered three-year terms and meeting weekly (biweekly in spring and summer). Brentwood's legislature is a town meeting, held in March, at which every registered voter can amend and vote on the annual town budget and other warrant articles. The Swasey Elementary School has a separate town meeting. Classes above Grade 6 travel to regional schools in School Administrative Unit (SAU) 16.

SAU&nbsp;16 is governed by official ballot referendum (SB&nbsp;2), in which there is a "deliberative" town meeting but the final vote is by secret ballot in all participating towns, at the same annual election at which voters elect town and school officials. Every town in SAU 16 votes on the representative(s) of it and of all other towns in SAU&nbsp;16.

Starting in 2027, Brentwood's municipal town meeting will also use the official ballot referendum. Governance of Swasey School will still be by traditional town meeting.

Since 2025, the municipal budget is capped at 4% growth above the prior year, not adjusted for inflation or population change.

Religion

The original church, on Route 111A, is now known as the Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Brentwood-Kingston. In addition, Brentwood First Baptist Church has been at the same location since 1771. Grace Ministries holds religious services and a Christian grade school in a former industrial building on Calef Road. There is also a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, which has two congregations.

Notable people

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  • Ted King (born 1983), professional cyclist
  • Joshua Smith (1760–1795), author, minister
  • William Morrill Wadley (1813–1882), railroad superintendent

References

  • Brentwood Historical Society
  • New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
  • Brentwood, NH Records of Court of Common Pleas at Dartmouth College Library