A WOMAN drowned in the pond in the garden of her historic mansion after consuming alcohol and prescription drugs, an inquest heard today. 

Annabel Lucas died at her picturesque home at Whitewood Cottage in Herriard, near Basingstoke, in March 2019. 

At a pre-inquest report hearing today (Thursday, January 28), Winchester Coroner's Court heard Annabel had not be in touch with anyone for five days prior to her death.

Area Coroner Jason Pegg was told that her brother William Lucas found her body in the grounds of the 500-year-old property on March 5.

A post-mortem found the cause of death to be drowning.

A toxicology report found Ms Lucas had more than four-and-a-half times the legal drink driving limit of alcohol in her system as well as "potentially fatal" quantities of prescription medication. Ms Lucas was described as normally being "t-total". 

CCTV and policy body-worn camera footage from the scene showed Ms Lucas had rocks and bricks attached to her clothing.

The hearing was told that Ms Lucas had not been in touch with anyone for five days. 

It was previously reported that Ms Lucas had suffered an 'allergic reaction' in the days prior to her death however Mr Pegg said that this would not form the basis of the inquest.

Ms Lucas lived with an allergy condition called "multiple chemical sensitivity" which meant she had to avoid certain materials, according to an application submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Speaking today, Mr Pegg said the scope of the inquest would instead "focus very much on the events of March 5 and the days immediately preceding Annabel's death". 

He said: "The last known contact anyone had with Annabel was on February 28, 2019, so in my mind that would be an appropriate starting point.”

He has also requested further investigations be made into the time of Ms Lucas’ death, the quantities and potential source of the alcohol in her body, and police understanding of the sequence of events on the day of her death.

The case has been adjourned until the full inquest begins on April 6, 2021.

Whitewood Cottage is a Grade II listed building that dates back to the early 16th Century, according to Historic England. 

The three-bedroom property, understood to be two former cottages built around the time of the Civil War, is estimated to be worth between £915,000  to £1.37million, according to Zoopla.