Talk:Brentwood, Essex
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article falls within the scope of WikiProject UK geography, an attempt to build a comprehensive guide to places in the UK. If you wish to contribute you can visit the project page where there are resources & guidelines, to do lists and discussions. | |
| This article has been rated "start" on the Wikipedia Version 1.0 quality scale. | ||
|
On the project page you can find detailed guides on how to write about counties and settlements, as well as where to find statistics, references and other useful things. Additionally, the following has been identified as specific improvements this article needs:
|
||
Contents |
[edit] Elephants
Ahem, I just read this and I have to say I've seen some implausible nonsense on the internet, but why would they import elephants from India to Essex, train them, and send them back to India? I lived there and I never heard about it. Maybe this was the work of a comedian, but then Brentwood School alumni include Douglas Adams, Griff Rhys-Jones, and Keith Allen. And Noel Edmunds. And Hardy Amies. And Frank Lampard Jr. - Anon comment put in main article
- You people have absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever, do you? Whoever removed that text from the Brentwood, Essex page seriously needs to examine why they did that. What's the matter with you? Can you not let something vaguely light-hearted remain where it was? Secondly, I can only hope that your question regarding the importing of Elephants to Brentwood was meant to be seriously tongue-in-cheek, otherwise I'll have to conclude that you really are intellectually deficient. Whoever you are, Anon, do try and grow up - and yes, one can be grown up and have a giggle, before you start. Dear me.
- User:Harry Potter added the factoid; I've left a query for him/her on his/her talk page, and we now wait ... --Tagishsimon (talk)
-
- Well this is apparently where it came from. Do you suppose we can trust the word of Eric Pickles MP? -Wiccan Quagga
-
-
- It's a fact that is often used in many histories of Brentwood. Unlikley as it may seem, it does appear to be true. Of course without finding someone that is an expert on the East India company we won't know for sure, but they did have a headquarters on that site. - DarkCryst
-
It also makes more sense if you consider that the East India Company wanted to train their men to be used to working with Elephants before they went abroad rather than training the elephants. This way they would be productive from day one rather than spend their first 3 months learning the local ropes. DaveK@BTC 12:57, 6 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Town info:
I've just noticed that the town info quotes Brentwood as being postcode CM14. It certainly also covers CM15 and possibly other CM codes as well. --DaveK@BTC 12:53, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Boring Town
Why pose the question 'Is Brentwood a boring town?' It is transparently obvious to all those who live there that this is true, and it must be even more stark to visitors. Fortuitously for residents, it has the saving grace of being situated right next to London, and since the town's proximity to London is the reason that most of us live here, the town itself being dull as s*** is not that much of a problem. Who cares when we live on the edge of the greatest city in the world? And flighty lives in Brentwood as well.
- My grandparents lived in Brentwood for many years (and my parents, until they escaped... to Norfolk, the only place more boring), and you're right; it is a terminably irretrievable hole. That said, it's still not encyclopaedic material unless it's verfiable from reliable sources. Kinitawowi 16:27, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
- It's very varifiable - it was featured across national newspapers and TV shows. Not to mention the local newspapers OTT coverage. - DarkCryst
[edit] Robert Graves & Roman battle at Brentwood
The History section says:
"Robert Graves claims that Brentwood was the site of the battle where Claudius defeated the Ancient Britons in 44AD."
I know that in one of the Claudius books ('I, Claudius' or 'Claudius the God') Graves writes about the battle taking place in Brentwood, but my understanding was that this was fictional and has no basis in fact.
Would it be reasonable to say that either a source should be added to this text or it should make clear that it is not a "claim" but a "fictional account"?
[edit] Edits 20th AUgust 2006
A significant edit was undertaken on this date by Mrsteviec - I have emailed the following questions to him:
Hi - just noticed your (extensive) update to the Brentwood entry. Can you explain why you felt it necessary to:
1. remove the material on schoools in the area? Many town entries on Wikipedia have this information which is normally considered to be quite useful to know about; 2. change the emphasis from Essex to London (maybe as a Londoner you feel the need to lay claim to Brentwood) because much of Brentwood is rural and certainly considers itself to be an integral part of Essex and most definitly not much at all to do with London; 3. remove the notable institutions piece - Brentwood School (although not quite my cup of tes) is a significant aspect of the town; 4. cull the nearest places for no apparent good reason.
Always open to the entry moving forward but only if it adds to relevant knowledge base of the town.
DaveK@BTC 10:14, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
- Hello. Here is my reply:
-
- I moved the schools to the Brentwood (borough) article as the list was for the borough, not the town, listing schools in Ingatestone etc.
- I added the map of the Greater London area as it shows more detail than the previous map and also shows Brentwood's built up area rather nicely (its that little island around the dot). No terretorial claims were made, however, I highly dispute that any part of the town is rural (or indeed considers itself to be any one thing or another).
- The notable institutions were already linked and mentioned in the article. This section was needless repetition.
- Nearest places is just that, nearest, every place in 5 miles need not be included. Mrsteviec 17:38, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
Hi - wasn't aware there was also a 'Borough' entry so thanks for that - will need to look at it now and see what it has to say. However, living in the area as I do I would suggest that locally Brentwood is considered as a larger area than just the built-up part adjacent to the town centre and is thought of as being a whole with the 'villages' surrounding including South Weald, Pilgrims Hatch, Kelvedon Hatch, Ingrave, Herongate etc... and, indeed, Shenfield, Hutton etc... That includes one whole large part of countryside by which Brentwoodians would identify themselves. On the same basis I would think (personally) that most would consider themselves to be Essex first and London second and so the introductory piece should be reversed back to 'Essex and part of the London commuter belt' rather than the reverse. Would be interested to hear the views of anybody else actually living in Brentwood.
DaveK@BTC 23:02, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not sure where you are getting the idea the article says Brentwood is part of London. It doesn't make any such suggestion. The London commuter belt reference has been in the intro for ages. Mrsteviec 05:51, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
It's a matter of precedence only. As phrased Brentwood is considered first as part of the commuter belt (suggesting a precedence and, possibly, a dependence) and then indirectly referenced as part of Essex.
DaveK@BTC 08:23, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
I'd like to take issue with the map being used, it is certainly detailed but I would suggest overly so and not really all that helpful. The marker, for instance, is the same colour as urban areas which, being london, means it gets a bit lost in the crowd.
--Shadebug 12:58, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
