SPECULATION continues to mount after a mystery buyer shelled out a reported £13 million for a stately home near Castle Cary.

The Hadspen House Estate, which lies between Ansford and Pitcombe off the A371 has been acquired by an anonymous buyer.

The Land Registry lists the new owners as the Regent Trust, an offshore trust in Jersey.

This week, media fuelled speculation over the mystery buyer’s identity ranged from Hollywood star Johnny Depp to a South African who wanted to create a hotel and spa, like Babington House near Frome.

The property was listed by estate agent Symonds Sampson as “a stunning Grade II-listed manor house at the heart of a magical diverse estate.”

On Tuesday a spokesman for Symonds Sampson refused to reveal the identity of the new owner, who now has the choice of eight bathrooms at the imposing mansion, as well as the run of more than 850 acres of land and a shoot.

He did, however, confirm that the mystery buyer was not Johnny Depp.

The estate was previously owned by Niall Hobhouse and had been in the family since 1785.

It is believed Mr Hobhouse had been looking for a buyer for the property for the past two years.

The estate includes the main house, additional houses and cottages, woodland, arable and pasture land, farm buildings and a tenanted dairy farm.

It is thought to have been sold for between £12million and £13million.

Castle Cary trader Heather Burch who owns Heather’s Flowers on Fore Street said that the rumour of Johnny Depp’s arrival had been doing the rounds for a long time.

“It would have been nice to have him come in to the shop,” she said.

“But there are already quite a few celebrities who live nearby.”