THE Earl of Pembroke’s stepfather was found dead on the day his Scots clifftop castle went on sale for £25million.
Stuart Murray Threipland’s body was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head close to his car which was parked on the grounds of the Earl's Wiltshire country home.
The 76-year-old’s own home, Dunbeath Castle, in Caithness, Sutherland, went on the market hours earlier.
He and his wife Claire had owned the 13-bedroom property since 1997.
Her son William Herbert is the 18th Earl of Pembroke – who owns Wilton House where Mr Threipland was found.
Cops say they are currently not treating the death as suspicious.
Yesterday an inquest at Salisbury, Wiltshere, heard Mr Threipland was found unresponsive lying close to a shotgun.
His body was identified by a friend after police were called to the scene.
A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.
The inquest has now been adjourned to August.
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Mr Threipland had been chairman of machinery manufacturer Kitagawa Europe.
The firm said he had an “unwavering commitment to excellence”.
The company’s statement added: “We will forever cherish his wisdom, mentorship and the genuine care he displayed towards others.”
The spectacular Scottish estate includes a shooting lodge, farmhouse, holiday cottages and a 12-mile length of a river called Dunbeath Water.
The castle has its own wind turbine and its reception rooms have sea views and the bedrooms are named after famous naval battles.
Savills described it as “a paradise of moorland, riverside and coastline; a place to relish the absolute personal remoteness and to create unforgettable childhood memories”.
A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “Officers were called to an address in Wilton at 1.10pm on June 12 following a report of a sudden death of a man in his seventies.”
The spokesman added that the death is not thought to be suspicious and an inquest has been opened.
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