Tanfield Vachell

Tanfield Vachell (1602–1658) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1645 and 1653.

Vachell was the son of John Vachell of Warfield and his wife Mary Vincent, daughter of Clement Vincent of Peckleton, Leicestershire. He was baptised in Gayton, Northamptonshire on 27 December 1602. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, taking BA in 1622.

His uncle, Sir Thomas Vachell of Coley Park in Reading, Berkshire, who had married three times and had no issue, wanted someone of his name and blood to inherit the Vachell estates which had become concentrated upon him. Vachell was therefore persuaded to marry and after the uncle's death in 1638, Vachell inherited the estates.

Vachell was more concerned with arts than politics and built a collection of rare pictures, books and curios. His portrait was painted by Sir Peter Lely.

Vachell died at Reading in May 1658 and was buried in St Mary's Church in Reading on 1 June 1658. The Coley estate passed, upon his death to Thomas Vatchell, the son of his kinsman Thomas who had refused his uncle's request to marry. The suburb of Coley Park was built largely on the lands of the estate.