Brent Street (Hendon NW4)

Brent Street was a section of a main road north out of London. At the Quadrant there is a milestone, the last piece of physical evidence of the old road. A small hamlet grew up during the Tudor period, at the junction of Brent Street and Bell Lane.

Brent Street parish-pump supplied water for much of the area in the early 19th century, and there was also a 'cage' (1796 - 1883), an outdoor cell for holding for criminals.

There were a few large Victorian mansions such as Tenby Mansion (c1845), which is near the Quadrant. By the 1850s there were shops in Brent Street, and a new street called New Brent Street.

The first Hendon police station (c1855) was in New Brent Street, as was Hendon British School (1876). Much of the old settlement of Brent Street burned down in a catastrophic fire in 1861.

The police station moved to Brent Street in 1884, and was demolished 2002. Hendon British School moved to become Bell Lane School in 1901.

The cricketer Denis Compton was brought up in the area and went to school at Bell Lane. Christ Church was opened in October of 1881.

During the 20th century a number of small factories were to be found in the area. The largest was Tilley Lamps Ltd (1915 to 1961), which employed around 300 people manufacturing pressure paraffin lamps.

In December 1969 planning permission was granted for a new shopping district on Brent Street called Sentinel Square. It cost £1.5 million. The Rose and Crown pub and the Gala Cinema were replaced with a row of modern shops and a Tesco supermarket during 1970.