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Interior Hall S1-8

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Porch/Door/Vestibule S1-8

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Porch/Door/Vestibule Overview

Consulting Room

Waiting Room

Kitchen

Living Room

Gold Buddha

White Buddha

Small Buddhas

Upstairs

S1-S2 Consulting Room comparison

Porch/Door/Vestibule - Interior Hall

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Porch/Door/Vestibule Overview

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This is the entrance to the Surgery.  The front door leads to a small vestibule that allows patients to enter the Waiting Room to the right or Martin's personal space - the Living Room - on the left.  In practice, this door is mainly used by the patients, and Martin & Louisa typically enter through the Kitchen door at the back of the house.  See below for details on all three areas. This porch, door, and vestibule are the only areas used for filming at the cottage in Port Isaac called "Fern Cottage", which is actually a holiday let (with a couple of rare exceptions: a few Living Room scenes in S1 and a couple of times Martin or his mother look out of upstairs windows).  We can see the real vestibule behind Martin when he opens the door (although slightly altered - see the vestibule area below).  Once someone enters the building, the filming is done on the set inside a barn just outside Port Isaac.  The set has a duplicate of the vestibule that is used when filming from inside the building, so there is lots of planning involved in deciding what part of a scene needs to be scheduled on the days that they use this cottage.  Then, there is editing magic involved in piecing these scenes together.

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Porch

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I took these 3 pictures of the porch on a visit to Port Isaac.  The red circles are the 1 step in the middle of the porch.  The yellow is the area that is level with the road.

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Front Door

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This door is a wooden panel door with dual windows on the upper half.  There have been a few changes in color and window type, and in S1 there was a patterned sheer curtain on the inside.  Most of the time the door used on the set matches the one on Fern Cottage - I'll point out later the one series where there was an anomaly.  Here are pictures of the doors (the one on the real cottage and the one on the set) from each series - there will be more info in the next section.

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Vestibule

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When the camera angle is from outside the building, the vestibule is often visible.  The crew uses a false wall with an attached coat rack to cover the stairwell that is on the right side.  The left side is left alone and looks like a closet, but is actually a very small bathroom (a delivery guy uses it in S1E2).

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The porch runs across the entire front of the building and wraps around the left side to form a wide patio on the side.  The surface is a mosaic of flagstones and there is a slight step up at the left edge of the building.   There are 3 different access points to the porch from the road.  Because the road has such a steep grade going up the hill, the first access is a steep stone stairway with 4 steps.  Next, right in front of the door, is a large stone step, so this requires just 2 steps up.  Just past that, the road actually meets the level of the porch and provides a wide area to walk onto the porch with no steps.  Surprisingly, Martin and most of his patients use the steep 4 step staircase instead of walking just a few additional feet for easier access. The patio around the side leads to the back of the building and a staircase with a white wooden handrail that ascends the hill behind to a small shed and gardens.  We see Martin walking up to that shed in just one episode (S4E6) when he hides in there to practice techniques seeking to cure his blood phobia.

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Here is a screenshot of Dr Dibbs running from the back of the building down the side patio.  You can see the stone steps with the white railing heading up to the shed and gardens. On the right is my photo of that area.

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Here are 4 screenshots of Martin going into the shed.

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From the video referenced above, here are a couple of pictures of the shed and the side/back of the cottage.   You can see a bit of the white handrail in the lower left corner of the photo below.

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There is a video online showing the interior of Fern Cottage and the shed up the hill behind the building.  I've used a couple of screenshots from the video on this page. Click on the button at right to watch the video.

Fern Cottage Video

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Series 1

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Series 2

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Series 2 Christmas Sp

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Series 3

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Series 4

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Series 5

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Series 6

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Series 7

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Series 8

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This is the real vestibule

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This is the TV version

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The vestibule on the set is usually shot from an angle that only shows the door and the piece of wall with the covered radiator.  But the coatrack on the back wall is occasionally seen.

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Series 9

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Porch/Door/Vestibule

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Partway through this series (Episode 5), a wooden bench appeared on the left side of the porch.  The door this year is painted black with an etched pattern in the opaque windows - the pattern is not always apparent, but I've included one shot where it is visible.  This is the only series where there is a sheer curtain on the inside of the door.  The door has a traditional brass knocker, brass mail slot, and brass keyhole plate with a lever handle.  The door used on the set is an exact match.

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Series 1

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These two screenshots are from the scene when the delivery guy used this bathroom.

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This scene was actually filmed in Fern Cottage.  You can see how far the false wall has to come out to cover the end of the stairwell banister.  There is also a good look at the double doors into the small bathroom.

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The door has been painted a sage green this series.  I suspect the same door has been used throughout but occasionally painted a different color.  Several other changes to the door:  A new brass doorknob has been added to the center of the door with a brass covered keyhole on the right side, the brass mail slot remains, and a black metal fish door knocker has replaced the traditional style one.  The sheer curtain is gone from the inside of the door, which makes the etching in the opaque glass much more visible. In the Chistmas Special, the door has been painted black again, there is a different doorknob in the middle of the door, and the door knocker has been removed.

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Series 2

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Changes in the door for the Christmas Special.

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The door has been painted a sage green this series.  I suspect the same door has been used throughout but occasionally painted a different color.  Several other changes to the door:  A new brass doorknob has been added to the center of the door with a brass covered keyhole on the right side, the brass mail slot remains, and a black metal fish door knocker has replaced the traditional style one.  The sheer curtain is gone from the inside of the door, which makes the etching in the opaque glass much more visible. In the Christmas Special, the door has been painted black again, there is a different doorknob in the middle of the door, and the door knocker has been removed.  Also, the glass panels with the etched design have been replaced with plain opaque glass.

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Series 2

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Changes in the door for the Christmas Special.

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There have been a couple of potted plants added to the side patio.  The door is unchanged since the Christmas Special, except that the center doorknob has reverted back to the one there for most of S2.

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Series 3

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The wooden bench that was seen in S1 was on the side patio this series.  We also saw the shed in Episode 6 when Martin used it to practice techniques to cure his blood phobia.  The door is still black, and the only change is the addition of a brass lock and pull higher up on the right side of the door.

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Series 4

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There is a different (wooden and metal) bench on the side patio this series.  The door has been repainted the same sage green as from S2.  There is also a new brass door lever and backplate.  Interestingly, this is the only series where the door they are using in the vestibule on the set doesn't match the outside door on Fern Cottage.  They are identical except that the door on the set is still black.   Oops!

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Series 5

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Fern Cottage

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Set

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The bench isn't visible on the side patio this series.  The door is exactly the same as the last series, but this time the door on the set has been painted green to match the Fern Cottage door.

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Series 6

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In this series there are a couple of shots of the French Doors on the left of the building.  The door is unchanged.

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Series 7

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The door itself is unchanged this series, but the opaque glass panes have been replaced by textured glass.

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Series 8

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The door is unchanged from the previous series.  One change this year is the surface of the porch.  The owners of Fern Cottage had the porch completely redone with pavers in place of the flagstone slate.  There was a night scene filmed on the porch this series.

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Series 9

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Interior Hall Overview

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The hallway starts at the Kitchen (the Kitchen is one step up) and runs to the right side of the building ending at a door with a textured glass window.  In reality, Fern Cottage is only one room deep and has no interior hall, plus, the right side of the building is right up against the hill so there is no possibility of a door there.   We've seen people come in through that door three times - Martin in S1E3, Aunt Ruth in S6E3, and Mrs Tishell in S8E6.  Near the door is a large old multi pane window that looks into the Waiting Room.  Right in the middle of the hallway are two doors facing each other - one to the Waiting Room and one to the Consulting Room.  Just before reaching the kitchen there is an angled part of the ceiling to accommodate the staircase and Martin always has to duck to clear it.  Right near that spot (between the Kitchen and Consulting Room) is a very small room that is used for drawing blood starting in S3. There are 4 areas that typically have some kind of decoration.  Looking from the middle of the hall toward the Kitchen, there is sometimes a small framed picture on the left wall just before the Kitchen.  Looking the other way toward the door, there is always a wooden framed mirror on the right wall just after the door to the Waiting Room.  There have been two different mirrors, the one in S1 & S2 was an oval shaped mirror with a wooden frame hanging from a metal chain.  Starting in S3, it was replaced by a long octagon mirror with a wooden frame.  This mirror was usually hanging vertically, but occasionally it was hung horizontally.   Directly across from the mirror, to the right of the Consulting Room door, there was a wooden bookcase there in S1-S3.  In S4, a radiator was there in its place, but gone in S5.  Starting in S5 a small shelf was installed on the wall and always held a variety of objects.  Above the bookcase, and then the shelf, was a wall mounted telephone for all but S3 & S4.  There was also often a painting or clock there.  And on the same side, down closer to the door, there was sometimes a framed painting, but there was never a good view.

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Looking from the Waiting Room, through the Hall and into the Consulting Room.

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This is a shot in S1 looking toward the Kitchen.  There was no set for the Kitchen that series, so the Kitchen is assumed to be off to the right.

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Now that there is a set for the Kitchen, this is the view every time looking down the hall.

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Looking the other way down the hall from the kitchen.

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The small room off the hallway where Pauline drew blood.

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The only time Martin has used this entrance.

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Interior Hall

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On the front wall, there is a small, unidentifiable picture hanging near the entrance to the kitchen, and the oval mirror next to the door.  On the back wall in Episode 1 is the bookcase (we can't see if anything is on it) and an old B&W picture of what appears to be Port Isaac.  Note that the phone was not there in Episode 1.  Starting in Episode 2, the phone is there but we cannot see if there is anything next to it. The bookcase is full with a plant on the top shelf.  A glimpse through the windows from the Waiting Room reveal something round or oval hanging on the back wall near the side door.

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Series 1

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Episode 1

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Martin entering through the side door in Episode 3.

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In this series, on the front wall is a small picture in a white frame hanging near the kitchen.  In the Christmas Special there seems to be a different one - its not possible to make out either one, but they appear to be different.  The oval mirror remains next to the door.  The back wall next to the door is pretty much unchanged except that the plant is gone from the bookshelf and we can just see a bit of the frame of a picture hanging next to the telephone.  There is a glimpse through the windows showing some type of print in a gold frame with a large mat hanging next to the side door.

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Series 2

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On the front wall near the kitchen there is a framed print, but it's not really visible.   The mirror next to the door has been changed - it's now a long octagon shape with a wooden frame.  This series it is hanging horizontally.  On the back wall, the bookcase remains, but the wall telephone is gone, and there is a framed print right next to where the phone would be.  There is also another print over by the side door - it might be a B&W print. We see the small room off this hallway for the first time this series.  It has one window, a sink below the window, wainscoting all around the room, and green & purple wallpaper on the back wall.  The door appears to have glass panes on at least the top half of the door, and a sheer curtain on the inside of the door - although we don't ever really see a door like that when looking down the hall.

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Series 3

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There isn't anything hanging on the front wall by the kitchen in this series - in fact, they don't have anything on that part of the wall in future series.  By the door, the mirror is still hanging horizontally.  On the back wall is a big change by the door - the bookcase is gone and the phone is still missing.  There is a good look at the small framed painting there - it was in the Consulting Room in S2.  And there is a radiator sitting just to the right of where the bookcase sat.  In S4 there are several matching radiators in different areas of the surgery - and all are gone again in S5.   Over by the side door is the same B&W print from S3 and it's more recognizable now - it's an old photo of the lifeboat coming down Fore Street and was in the Living Room in S2. There are a few scenes shot this series in the small room off the hallway.

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Series 4

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On the front wall, the mirror is now hanging vertically.  On the back wall next to the door, the phone is back and there is a square clock hanging next to it.  Below the phone is a small wooden shelf with several items on top including a carved wooden bird that has been in the Waiting Room the previous 3 series.  The radiator that appeared in S4 is now gone.

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Series 5

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Very few changes this series.  The mirror is still hanging vertically.  The carved bird from the shelf has moved back into the Waiting Room and there are now some small covered boxes and a small vase on the shelf.  The clock is gone and replaced by an unusual framed print.

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Series 6

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Again, very few changes this series.  The mirror is seen hanging vertically in Episode 5, but then hanging horizontally in Episode 6.  The items on the shelf have changed and there is a new carved bird there.  You can see the shadow of a frame to the right of the phone, but it can't be the one that was there last series because that one is in the Living Room in this series.  They filmed one shot of the Waiting Room through the hall windows - the first time for that type of shot. There is one scene in the little room off the hall this series. The framed print that was in the Consulting Room in S2 and the Hallway in S4 is spotted in this scene.  It appears that there is a glass paneled door in the background with a mirror in one of the panes.

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Series 7

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Still very few changes in S8.  The mirror looks to be hanging horizontally.  The carved bird on the shelf has been moved to the Waiting Room and there are a couple of miscellaneous items on the shelf, including a covered wooden box and a rubber ducky.  There is a shot of the picture hanging next to the phone, but because of a reflection it's not identifiable.

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Series 8

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Everything on the shelf has changed for this series and it just contains a small brown vase.  The photo to the right of the phone has changed.  It's a landscape that has been seen in several areas in the building, including in this location in S4.  The mirror on the wall across remains. In this series Louisa had the small room off the hallway painted and furnished to use as her consulting room.  Two interesting notes about the room.  When the painter walks out of the room and then Louisa walks in, the right edge of the doorway seems very crisp - it looks different than the edges we normally see in this building.  I suspect there is some camera trickery happening.  That would make sense because this hallway doesn't seem long enough to contain the room we see.  In fact, if you compare the interior of the room to this room when it was used as the phlebotomy room in S4 with Pauline and S7 with Morwenna you can see the differences.  The sink and the window are the same, but the left wall has been pushed out several feet for Louisa's consulting room.  This room must have been constructed in a different area of the sets because the kitchen is right there and wouldn't have room to accommodate that bump out.  Trickery indeed!  But, I have to say, they did make it look seamless and I would have never realized until I did a close examination of the scenes.

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Series 9

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