Tanfield Vachell
Encyclopedia
Tanfield Vachell 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 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. He was High Sheriff of Berkshire
in 1641.
Vachell was also influenced by his uncle's widow, Lady Letitia (nee Knollys) Vachell who married John Hampden
, and supported the Parliamentary cause during the Civil War. Lady Vachell carried on living at Coley Park, whilst Tanfield rented the Reading home of her grandfather at Abbey House. On 1 November 1642, the King gave instructions for Vachell to escort him through the county, but as this had previously been an excuse to disband local militia, Vachell refused to obey.
In 1645, Vachell was elected Member of Parliament
for Reading
in a disputed election to the Long Parliament
.
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
. In around 1651, he restored Coley Park
.
Vachell died at Reading in May 1658 and was buried in St Mary's Church in Reading
on 1 June 1658.
Vachell married firstly Anne Cox, daughter of Richard Cox, an alderman of London. She died childless in 1651 and was buried in the chancel of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. In 1652, he married Rebecca Leman, daughter of Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet
, Parliament’s Treasurer of War. She survived him, but he had no issue by either wife.
Vachell left his "several paintings and books of print, [his] collection of medals in gold, silver and brass; all [his] ware, turnings of ivory and guyacombe with [his] presse of bookes and [his] chest of drawers with the perspective in it, to his wife for life, and failing issue to the son of his kinsman, Thomas." A codicil executed in his last illness, resulted in about fifteen years' litigation between his widow and his heir. After the Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Chief Baron and various civilians became involved, the case was eventually decided in favour of his heir. It is still a leading case — Vachell v. Leman. 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.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
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 Gayton, Northamptonshire on 27 December 1602. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, taking BA in 1622.
His uncle, Sir Thomas Vachell of Coley Park
Coley Park
Coley Park is a suburb of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is largely built on the estate of a country house of the same name.-Location:...
in Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, 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. He was High Sheriff of Berkshire
High Sheriff of Berkshire
The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'....
in 1641.
Vachell was also influenced by his uncle's widow, Lady Letitia (nee Knollys) Vachell who married John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
, and supported the Parliamentary cause during the Civil War. Lady Vachell carried on living at Coley Park, whilst Tanfield rented the Reading home of her grandfather at Abbey House. On 1 November 1642, the King gave instructions for Vachell to escort him through the county, but as this had previously been an excuse to disband local militia, Vachell refused to obey.
In 1645, Vachell was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Reading
Reading (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading was a parliamentary borough, and later a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It comprised the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire....
in a disputed election to the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
.
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
Peter Lely
Sir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin, whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.-Life:...
. In around 1651, he restored Coley Park
Coley Park
Coley Park is a suburb of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is largely built on the estate of a country house of the same name.-Location:...
.
Vachell died at Reading in May 1658 and was buried in St Mary's Church in Reading
Reading Minster
Reading Minster, or the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin as it is more properly known, is the oldest ecclesiastical foundation in the English town of Reading...
on 1 June 1658.
Vachell married firstly Anne Cox, daughter of Richard Cox, an alderman of London. She died childless in 1651 and was buried in the chancel of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. In 1652, he married Rebecca Leman, daughter of Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet
Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet
Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1645 and 1660.Leman was the son of WIlliam Leman of Beccles and his wife Alice. He was a woollen draper and a member of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers...
, Parliament’s Treasurer of War. She survived him, but he had no issue by either wife.
Vachell left his "several paintings and books of print, [his] collection of medals in gold, silver and brass; all [his] ware, turnings of ivory and guyacombe with [his] presse of bookes and [his] chest of drawers with the perspective in it, to his wife for life, and failing issue to the son of his kinsman, Thomas." A codicil executed in his last illness, resulted in about fifteen years' litigation between his widow and his heir. After the Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Chief Baron and various civilians became involved, the case was eventually decided in favour of his heir. It is still a leading case — Vachell v. Leman. 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.