The Earl of Pembroke’s stepfather has been found dead of a gunshot wound in the grounds of one of Britain’s most famous country houses.
Stuart Wyndham Murray Threipland was found with a gunshot wound to the head, near his parked car at Wilton House, a 14,000 acre Palladian estate close to Salisbury, in Wiltshire.
Mr Threipland died on the same day his 13-bedroom estate and castle in Dunbeath, Scotland, had been put up for sale by estate agent Savills for £25 million.
According to Companies House records, Mr. Threipland was a director of 15 firms until he resigned from each firm on June 12, the day of his death.
Police do not currently consider the death suspicious and said the 76-year-old would have been killed instantly.
Stuart Wyndham Murray Threipland (pictured) was found with a gunshot wound to the head, near his car
Wilton House – where his body was found – is a 14,000 acre Palladian estate near Salisbury, in Wiltshire
Mr Threipland’s death came on the same day his 13-bedroom estate and castle in Dunbeath, Scotland, had been put up for sale by estate agent Savills for £25 million.
A statement from Wiltshire Police said: ‘Officers were called to an address in Wilton at 1.10pm on 12 June following a report of the sudden death of a man in his 70s.
“It is believed there are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared on behalf of HM Coroner for Wiltshire.”
In a statement, the family said: ‘Stuart Murray Threipland, known to many as Tertius, sadly passed away on June 12 in Wilton and he will be greatly missed by all his family.’
Its sprawling castle has been described as a ‘magnificent A-list castle’ with a dramatic coastal estate ‘of uncompromising quality’ stretching across 28,500 acres of land.
The chateau contains 13 bedrooms, nine bathrooms and three reception rooms. It also features a pair of walled gardens set in a designed landscape, a grouse and deer forest. It also boasts 20km of double bank fishing.
Mr. Threipland had been married twice, first to Belinda Mary Musker, the mother of his three children
Mr Threipland married Claire Rose Pelly after divorcing his first wife
Mrs Pelly is seen at her wedding to the Earl of Pembroke at Holy Trinity on Brompton Road
An inquest in Salisbury, Wiltshere, was told on Thursday that Mr Threipland was found unconscious while lying close to a shotgun. A friend identified the body after police were called to the scene.
An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. Further tests were ordered and the inquest adjourned to an August date.
Mr. Threipland had been married twice, first to Belinda Mary Musker, the mother of his three children, before marrying Claire Rose Pelly after divorcing his first wife.
Her son, William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke, inherited the manor house and sprawling estate, as well as a £115 million fortune, when his father died of cancer in 2003.
Until May of this year, Mr. Threipland was chairman of equipment manufacturer Kitagawa Europe, which he said had an ‘unwavering commitment to excellence’.
According to Companies House records, Mr. Threipland was a director of 15 companies until he resigned from each company on June 12, the day of his death
Located on the coast of Caithness, Sutherland, Dunbeath Castle would offer any potential buyer a home that wouldn’t look out of place in a fantasy novel
The building was radically renovated in the 1860s, radically transforming the site
The company’s statement read: “We will forever cherish his wisdom, mentorship and genuine concern for others.”
Dunbeath had been owned by Mr Threipland and his wife since 1997 and the castle dates back to the 15th century.
The building was radically renovated in the 1860s, radically transforming the site.
Savills described it as ‘a paradise of moors, riverbanks and coastlines; a place to enjoy the absolute personal remoteness and to create unforgettable childhood memories’.
The castle is located in Caithness, one of the most remote counties in the country and was often visited by the Queen Mother, who owned the castle of Mey for half a century.