A Russian billionaire can now boast of having bought Britain's most expensive home.
Self-exiled former head of Bank of Moscow Andrei Borodin bought an 18th-century country house for £140 million ($217 million) near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, the Sunday Times reported.
The 80-hectare estate was bought last summer, but the name of the buyer was kept secret, as the transaction was done through a company registered on the British Virgin Islands. Now, a local councilman, John Halsall, has confirmed the purchase by Borodin, according to the report.
Park Place's previous owners include Frederick, Prince of Wales and Greek shipping magnate John Latsis. The estate was used as a boarding school until 1998 but has since undergone a number of upgrades. Now it includes a helipad, spa complex, golf course, stables and a boathouse.
The grounds are also believed to be haunted by a female ghost from the 18th century, according to The Daily Mail.
Upkeep of the estate is expected to cost $155,000 annually.
The previous record for the most expensive house sale in Britain belonged to the complex of elite residences at One Hyde Park in London, which was sold for £136 million in 2011.
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