A brook flowing east into West River and, a settlement S.W. of Antigonish.

The brook was named after one of the early settlers, Ensign John Brierly or Briley
or Brearly as it was variously spelled. He was one of the soldiers who came to Antigonish
with Colonel Tomothy Hierlihy and lived there until about 1800, when his wife died.
Leaving his children with friends he travelled to Ireland on business where he himself died.

When the Eastern Extension Railway began operating the first station west of Antigonish
became Brierly Brook. The name of Chisholm way office was changed to Briley's Brook
in 1870.

A farming district in 1898, it had a post office and two limestone quarries in operation and a
population of 150.

There were schools at Upper Brierly Brook, Lower Brierly Brook, and at East Brierly Brook.
The first two were consolidated in 1907 but the school was closed in 1958 and the pupils
conveyed to Post Road. The population in 1956 was 286.