Mystery death mansion on sale for £760,000

A SECLUDED mansion where a wealthy farmer died in unexplained circumstances has gone up for sale.

Sandy Ingram, 80, a leading member of the Aberdeenshire farming community, died in June, almost a year after he suffered serious head injuries when he went to investigate prowlers outside his home.

His wife Ann, 64, found him lying unconscious in the garden at Elrick House, near Newmachar, on 19 June, 2010. Ingram never recovered from his injuries and died on 2 June this year, shortly after being transferred from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to a nursing home near the family farm.

Grampian Police are continuing to treat the circumstances surrounding the incident at Elrick House as unexplained and are still trying to piece together the events of the evening.

But members of his family have insisted that a murder inquiry should be launched, claiming they are “99.5 per cent certain” that Ingram was the victim of a violent assault.

It has now been revealed that the mansion that was home to Ingram for more than 40 years has gone on the market with an asking price of £760,000. The sale includes the Home Farm Steading, a coachman’s cottage, together with 2.13 acres of land, on offer at more than £150,000. Brownhills Farmhouse, a four-bedroom pink granite farmhouse in one acre of land, is available for offers of more than £230,000, while a steading with a stone bothy, barn and former cottage is available for more than £150,000. Three other cottages are also included, at prices ranging from more than £65,000 to more than £120,000, while there are also three lots of woodland and pasture available.

A spokesman for selling agents Aberdeen and Northern Estates said the mansion and the surrounding properties had been placed on the market at the request of the family.

He said: “Elrick House is an impressive Scottish mansion house which has remained remarkably unaltered and intact since it was built almost 300 years ago.”

James Petty, who is handling the sale, said: “This is a rare opportunity for someone to obtain a wonderful property in a secluded location and yet is only minutes from Aberdeen.”

Det Insp Richie Guild, who is leading the investigation into Ingram’s death, said: “The investigation remains open and inquiries are ongoing. We would renew our appeal for anyone who may have any information at all about what happened to Sandy that night to contact Grampian Police.”