The suburb of Coley Park was built largely on the lands of the Coley Park estate, the history of which is closely linked to that of the Vachell family. John Vachell (1287–1340) was the first member of the family to own land in the area, buying it from Thomas Syward of Reading in 1309. However this land was mostly agricultural, and although the Vachell family were known to have a house in Coley, it is unclear whether this was on the lands later to become Coley Park, or elsewhere in old Coley. The first manor house known to be on the Coley Park estate was known as Vachell House, and was built in around 1555 by Thomas Vachell (1537–1610). This was situated on the banks of the Holy Brook, where Coley Park Farm remains today. It was restored after the English Civil War by Tanfield Vachell (1602–1658).