John Orton, a 78-year-old retired telecommunications engineer, died at Felbrigg Hall, near Cromer in Norfolk, on 13 July. An inquest heard that a post-mortem examination indicated a provisional cause of death as "severe chest injuries" after he was trampled by cattle.
Assistant coroner for Norfolk, Maeve Sykes, opened the inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court on Friday. Norfolk Police were called to the estate at about 11:45 BST on 13 July, and Mr Orton died at the scene despite efforts to save him.
The National Trust expressed its shock and sadness over the death of a visitor. The estate was closed following the incident while inquiries were carried out. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is now leading the investigation into Mr Orton's death, with the inquest adjourned until next year.