Coley Park | |
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Wensley Road and the high-rise flats |
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Coley Park shown within Berkshire | |
OS grid reference | SU704723 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Police | Thames Valley |
Fire | Royal Berkshire |
Ambulance | South Central |
EU Parliament | South East England |
UK Parliament | |
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.
Coley Park is an area of south-west Reading, bounded to the north by the Berkeley Avenue and the older district of Coley, to the south and east by the Holy Brook and the water meadows of the Kennet Valley, and to the west by the railway line from Reading to Basingstoke and the suburb of Southcote.
Coley Park lies entirely within the borough of Reading, within Minster ward. It is within the Reading West parliamentary constituency.
Coley Park is split between the Church of England parishes of All Saints Church and St Giles' Church, although neither church is actually within the area.
The suburb of Coley Park was built largely on the lands of the Coley Park estate. The original manor house, known as Vachel House, was built c. 1555 by Thomas Vachell (1537–1610) on the banks of the Holy Brook rivulet (located where Coley Park Farm remains today). It was restored after the English Civil War c. 1651 by Tanfield Vachell (1602–1658).
Eventually Vachel House once again fell into disrepair and a new mansion, Coley House, was built on higher ground by the new owner, John McConnell in 1802.