Stone cottage above a small Cornish harbour with boats on wet sand

Where Was Doc Martin Filmed?

Port Isaac in Cornwall doubles as Portwenn, with sets in a nearby barn and further locations across the county.

Check availabilitySee every location

The Short Answer

Doc Martin was mainly filmed in the fishing village of Port Isaac on Cornwall's north coast, which stands in for the fictional Portwenn. Interior scenes were shot on sets built inside a converted barn at Roscarrock Manor Farm just outside the village. Other filming locations include Doyden Castle at Port Quin, St Nonna's Church on Bodmin Moor and Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

The show ran for 10 series and 79 episodes between 2004 and 2022, and almost every frame of it was shot in Cornwall. At the centre sits Port Isaac, a working fishing village whose narrow lanes, slate rooftops and small harbour became Portwenn for nearly two decades.

Most interiors never happened inside the village buildings at all. Producers built sets inside a converted barn at Roscarrock Manor Farm, just outside Port Isaac, while village exteriors and locations as far afield as Truro and Bodmin Moor filled out the frame.

Every Location At A Glance

LocationWhereWhat was filmedAccess
Fern CottagePort IsaacExterior of Doc Martin's house and surgery across all seriesOutside only
The Old School HotelPort IsaacPortwenn Primary School exteriorsFree to see
The Golden LionPort IsaacThe Crab and Lobster pubFree to see
Doyden CastlePort QuinPentire Castle in series 5 finaleTicketed
St Nonna's ChurchAltarnunWedding and jilting scenesFree to see
Pencarrow HouseBodminFirst date locationTicketed
Royal Cornwall HospitalTruroAll hospital scenesPrivate property
Dinnabroad FarmSt TeathAunt Joan's farmPrivate property

Filming Locations Map

8 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Fern Cottage, Port Isaac
Location 01

Fern Cottage

Cornwall, Port Isaac Outside only

Filmed here: Exterior of Doc Martin's house and surgery across all series

Fern Cottage on Roscarrock Hill served as the exterior of Doc Martin's house and surgery across all series. It is a Grade II listed building and a private holiday let, so the grounds are off limits. Fans photograph it from the lane, and the South West Coast Path passes close by, which keeps a steady stream of visitors walking past the village's most recognisable facade.

The Old School Hotel, Port Isaac
Location 02

The Old School Hotel

Cornwall, Port Isaac Free to see

Filmed here: Portwenn Primary School exteriors

This building played Portwenn Primary School in its exterior scenes. It operates today as the Old School Hotel, with bookable rooms and a restaurant, which makes it one of the few Doc Martin locations fans can actually stay in or eat at. It sits steps from the harbour in the heart of the village, so it fits easily into a walking route around Port Isaac's filming spots.

The Golden Lion, Port Isaac
Location 03

The Golden Lion

Cornwall, Port Isaac Free to see

Filmed here: The Crab and Lobster pub

The Golden Lion, a working pub right on the harbour, appeared on screen as the Crab and Lobster. It has long been popular with fans and crew alike, and it is the natural place to end a walk around the village with a drink. Access is fully public. Order at the bar and watch the harbour that featured in so many scenes of the series unfold outside the window.

Doyden Castle, Port Quin
Location 04

Doyden Castle

Cornwall, Port Quin Ticketed

Filmed here: Pentire Castle in series 5 finale

This cliff-top folly at Port Quin, a couple of coves along the coast from Port Isaac, stood in for Pentire Castle in the series 5 finale. It is a National Trust holiday let, so visitors can book a stay inside the actual filming location. Otherwise, walkers on the South West Coast Path can admire the building from outside. Its dramatic position above the rocks made it a natural fit for the storyline.

St Nonna's Church, Altarnun
Location 05

St Nonna's Church

Cornwall, Altarnun Free to see

Filmed here: Wedding and jilting scenes

St Nonna's Church in Altarnun, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, hosted both the jilting and the eventual wedding scenes for Martin and Louisa. Known as the Cathedral of the Moor, this Grade I listed church is open to visitors and easy to reach by car from Port Isaac in under half an hour. It is one of the few locations where a major plot moment in the series played out.

Pencarrow House, Bodmin
Location 06

Pencarrow House

Cornwall, Bodmin Ticketed

Filmed here: First date location

Pencarrow House near Bodmin appeared as the location for a first date in the series. The Georgian house and its gardens are open to the public seasonally, with tickets available on site. Visitors can tour the grounds and interiors of a working estate that doubled as a restaurant setting on screen. Pairing it with Altarnun makes a sensible day trip inland from the coast.

Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro
Location 07

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Cornwall, Truro Private property

Filmed here: All hospital scenes

Every hospital scene in the series was filmed at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. It is a working hospital, so access is private and fans should content themselves with exterior views only. There is little reason to make a special trip unless combining it with a visit to Truro itself, but the building is instantly recognisable to anyone who watched Martin clash with colleagues over the years.

Dinnabroad Farm, St Teath
Location 08

Dinnabroad Farm

Cornwall, St Teath Private property

Filmed here: Aunt Joan's farm

Dinnabroad Farm near St Teath played Aunt Joan's farm in the series. It remains a private working farm, and the only access for fans is the view from the road. The farmhouse and its rural setting gave the show much of its countryside texture, and the drive between Port Isaac and the farm passes through the sort of Cornish lanes that became a visual signature of the programme.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in the fictional Cornish village of Portwenn, which does not exist. It was filmed primarily in and around the real village of Port Isaac, with additional locations across Cornwall including Bodmin Moor and Truro. The production returned to Port Isaac across 10 series, so the village and Portwenn became effectively interchangeable in viewers' minds.

The Studio Side

Most interior scenes, from the surgery to kitchen conversations, were filmed not inside village buildings but on sets built inside a converted barn at Roscarrock Manor Farm just outside Port Isaac. The farm is not open to visitors, which means almost nothing of the interiors can be seen today. What fans can experience is the village itself, whose exteriors did the heavy lifting on screen.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Guided tours make sense here because many locations sit along walking routes that local guides know well, and a guide can point out scenes and stories you would otherwise walk straight past. Several operators run Doc Martin themed tours, most departing from around Cornwall or Devon and centring on Port Isaac itself.

Village Tour From Newquay

Doc Martin Tour in Port Isaac, Cornwall

A dedicated Doc Martin tour of Port Isaac departing from Newquay, built around the village's key filming spots.

4.7 out of 5 · 924 reviewsNewquay

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Small-Group Tour From Launceston

Doc Martin Tour

A well reviewed Doc Martin tour from Launceston, rated 4.6 from 473 reviews, focused on Port Isaac and surrounding locations.

4.6 out of 5 · 473 reviewsLaunceston Uk

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

North Cornwall Day Trip From Devon

Doc Martin, Fishermans Friends & North Cornwall

A wider North Cornwall day trip from Devon that pairs Doc Martin locations in Port Isaac with Fisherman's Friends sights.

5.0 out of 5 · 12 reviewsDevon

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Visit Doc Martin's House?

You can see Fern Cottage from the outside on Roscarrock Hill in Port Isaac, but it is a private holiday let and the grounds should not be entered. Fans photograph the exterior from the lane. The coast path passes nearby, so it is easy to include on a walk around the village.

Is Port Isaac The Same Place As Portwenn?

No. Portwenn is fictional and exists only in the show. Port Isaac is the real Cornish fishing village where the exteriors were filmed. The two are so closely linked that Port Isaac has become a destination for fans of the series.

Where Were The Interior Scenes Filmed?

Most interiors were shot on sets built inside a converted barn at Roscarrock Manor Farm, just outside Port Isaac. The farm is private and not open to visitors, so the interiors cannot be seen on a visit.

Can You Stay At Any Filming Locations?

Yes. Fern Cottage, Doc Martin's house exterior, is a holiday let, and Doyden Castle at Port Quin, which played Pentire Castle in the series 5 finale, is a National Trust holiday cottage. The Old School Hotel, the Portwenn Primary School exterior, is also a working hotel.

How Far Are The Other Locations From Port Isaac?

Most key locations cluster around Port Isaac itself, including Fern Cottage, the Old School Hotel and the Golden Lion, all within a short walk. Doyden Castle sits at Port Quin along the coast. St Nonna's Church at Altarnun and Pencarrow House near Bodmin are inland, and Royal Cornwall Hospital is in Truro.

How Long Did The Show Run?

Doc Martin ran for 10 series and 79 episodes from 2004 to 2022, filmed primarily in Cornwall throughout its run.

Port Isaac is small enough to explore on foot in a few hours, with the harbour, Fern Cottage, the Old School Hotel and the Golden Lion all close together. Allow more time, or take a guided tour, to reach Doyden Castle, Altarnun and the other locations scattered across Cornwall.

Keep Exploring

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