Earlier Houses: The early 17th century house (the first house) was demolished between 1800 and 1803; only the garden walls from the house remain today. The early 19th century house (the second house), which replaced 17th house, was itself replaced in the early 21st century by the third house. In the 1630s Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland, gathered together at the first Great Tew Park a group of scholars, clerics, and writers from the University of Oxford for intellectual discussions. These salons, or open houses, were regularly attended by Ben Jonson, Edmund Waller, and Abraham Cowley and came to be known as the Great Tew Circle. In 1815 Matthew Robinson Boulton, son of the famous Birmingham manufacturer and designer Matthew Boulton, purchased the Great Tew Estate and built the second house. The 19th century house built by Boulton had, at its core, a small Georgian dower house, to the east of which was added a Gothic style library circa 1825.

Built / Designed For: Matthew Robinson Boulton (second house)

House Replaced By: In 2002 a new house (the third house), designed by Robert Adam Architects, was erected to replace the 19th century house.

Collections: The contents of Great Tew were sold by Christie's on May 27-29, 1987 for £2,648,374. In addition to sale of contents, a Matthew Boulton and John Fothergill ormolu sidereal clock, dated 1774, was sold to Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery for £440,000.

Garden & Outbuildings: The stables and gatepiers, both of circa 1700, plus an octagonal dovecote with a wooden lantern, are all extant. The Great Tew Estate has been broken up and sold.

Country Life: CVI, 254, 1949.

House Listed: Demolished

Park Listed: Destroyed

Current Seat / Home of: Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall; here since 2020.

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT FIRST HOUSE: Edward Rainsford, until 1611. Sir Lawrence Tanfield, 1611-25. Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland, 1629-43; Cary family here until 1694. Anthony Keck, 1736-67. George Stratton, until 1800. SEATED AT SECOND HOUSE: Matthew Robinson Boulton, 1803-42; M.E. Boulton, until 1914. Robb family, until late 20th century. SEATED AT THIRD HOUSE: Johnston family, early 21st century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No