.
Portwenn Online
A Magical Cornish Village
Doc Martin is IN
Waiting Room
The Waiting Room is the busiest room in the building.  There are usually several patients
waiting to see the Doc, so there are lots of patient chairs against the walls.  The furniture
evolved during S1 and by S2 a lot of it was established for the remainder of the show, with a
few pieces moving in and out of the room from series to series.  It was impossible to capture
everything - especially in the Desk Area, but I've tried to track the most visible items from
series to series.
Click photos to enlarge - click again to close
.
.
.
.
.
.
Click to Jump
to Sections
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Series 1 Episode 1
.
As with the Consulting Room, The furnishings in this room in Episode 1 were the
ones left by Dr Sim.  The two rooms used for the medical office were completely
refurbished before the first patient arrived in Episode 2.

We only had a couple of small glimpses of this room in the first episode.  Here is
a side by side comparison of the areas we saw in Episode 1.
.
.
.
.
.
Here is a layout of the Waiting Room.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Left Wall
.
There are two areas along this side.  The first is a short wall at the base of the
staircase.  There is no room for any furniture, but there is usually a single picture
hanging on the wall.  The second area is the right side of the staircase.  There is
not enough room for anything hanging on the wall, but there are always 2 or 3
chairs and a table against this wall.  At the far right is the door to a small toilet
under the stairs.  When looking at the left wall, you can usually see into the
vestibule and view the items hanging on the wall and sitting on the radiator.
.
.
.
Series 1
.
.
.
In S2 there was a painting of a windmill that seemed a much better fit with
the rest of the furnishings in the building.  The short, round table was gone,
replaced by a taller wooden side table - and that table will remain there at least
through S9.  There is a matching table in the Front Left Corner that is there in all
but S2 and S4.  Starting in S2 there is a mid-century coffee table that often sits in
the middle of the room or on the right side, although a couple of times it was
moved to the left side in front of the patient chairs - slightly blocking traffic flow
coming from the Consulting Room.
.
.
Series 2
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Very little change to this area in S3.  The same windmill picture was on the wall.  
On the table is a new light brown piece of pottery holding a live plant.
.
.
Series 3
.
.
.
.
.
This series we see the new wallpaper, but again, the same windmill picture.  The
changes in front of the staircase were a pretty new articulated tiffany table lamp
and a new plant in a plain white vase.
.
.
Series 4
.
.
.
.
A few changes after Dr Dibbs moved in and Martin took over.  The wallpaper was
changed again (after only one series).  There was no picture hanging on the wall
at the base of the staircase.  The same furniture sat in front of the staircase, but,
interestingly, there were 3 different lamps on the table over the series.  For all
of S5 the purple sock monkey sat on this table.  It first appeared in S4 on the
Receptionist's Desk - the episode after Martin saw his son on the ultrasound
for the first time.
.
.
Series 5
.
.
.
.
For the Christmas Special between S2 and
S3, the only difference was that the
ceramic canister was moved to the
cabinet behind the receptionist's desk
and a potted plant took its place.
.
The set decorators were playing with us again this series.  The pen and ink ship drawing from the previous series
remained and there was a new model ship with blue fabric sails.  But other items on the radiator around the ship came
and went and moved around - a small beach watercolor, a starfish and a few other small indistinguishable items.

But then, in part of Episode 2, the pen and ink ship drawing disappeared - but was back later in the episode.  And in
Episode 3, the drawing was moved to a lower spot on the wall.  It seemed to stay there until it was moved back up to
the normal spot partway through Episode 5.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
One of the chairs this
series appears to have
been re-upholstered
and is more orange
than rust.  See the
comparison of two
chairs below.
.
.
Episode 1-2
.
.
In this series a gold framed floral picture is hanging at the base of the staircase.  
It was on the back wall in the previous series.  The only other change is that the
ceramic lamp that was there for the last half of S5 remains, but with a new red
shade.  The sock monkey is gone, but you will see James playing with it and it
sometimes just hangs out in the kitchen.
.
.
Series 6
.
.
.
.
.
The daisy painting was moved
here for S6.  Note that the
bottom of the painting falls just
above the radiator.  The same
painting will remain there for S7,
S8 & S9, but will be raised up
about 6 inches higher on the wall
.
.
Just like in S5, there is no painting hanging on the wall at the base of the
staircase this series.  The only other change is the lamp that was in the Front
Left Corner in S5 & S6 has been moved to this area - and it has a new shade.
.
.
Series 7
.
.
.
.
No change in the vestibule this series, except
that the daisy picture has been moved up
about six inches higher on the wall.
.
.
.
.
Series 8
.
.
.
.
The sock monkey was
prominently featured in
this shot of the staircase.
The floral painting is back on the wall at the base of the staircase - it was here in
S6, on the back wall in S5, and in the Living Room in S7.  The only other change is
a new, slightly modern looking lamp with a woven cylindrical shade.
.
.
.
No change from S7 in
the vestibule.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Waiting Room Overview
.
Here are some overview shots of the Waiting Room from each series.
.
.
Series 1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Series 2
.
Series 3
.
Series 4
.
.
.
Series 5
.
.
.
.
.
Series 6
.
Series 7
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Episode 2
.
Episode 1
.
Episode 3
.
Episode 1
.
Episode 1
.
Episode 2
.
Episode 1
.
Episode 2
.
Episode 1
.
Episode 5
.
In S1, there was a bright, purple abstract painting on the wall.  This was really
out of character with the rest of the Surgery, and we never saw it again after S1.  
Along the stair wall were 2 rust colored leather & wood chairs and a round
wooden table.  The chairs are part of a set that is used all around room and we
have seen up to 6 at a time.  The wooden table is one of a pair - with the
matching table along the back wall.  In Episode 2 only, one of the chairs was
different - it was a similarly colored chair that appeared to be hard plastic with a
chrome frame.  It was never spotted again after Episode 2.
.
.
.
Ep 2 only
.
In the vestibule this series was a black and
white print of Port Isaac.  On top of the radiator
was a wooden and fabric model ship.
.
.
This ceramic canister
appeared here for the
first time this series.  
Starting in the Christmas
Episode (S2E9) it moved
into the cabinet behind
the receptionist's desk
and has remained there
ever since.
.
The vestibule in this series contained one picture on the wall and a wooden and fabric model ship on the radiator.  
But the set decorators were playing with us.  In Episode 1, they started with the landscape with the gold and burgundy
frame.  Later in the episode the landscape was gone and a pen and ink ship was in its place.  In Episode 2 the
landscape was back, but it was again replaced by the pen and ink ship in Episode 4 - never to be seen again.  The
model ship kept being flipped facing both right and left, and in Episode 5 it disappeared altogether.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Series 8
.
.
Wallpaper
.
This room has wallpaper on the front wall and the portion of the left wall at the base of the staircase.
There have been 3 similar patterns used.
.
.
Series 1-3
.
.
Series 4
.
.
Series 5-9
.
.
.
.
.
The pen and ink drawing of the sailboat
is still in the vestibule, and another
new model ship on the radiator.  This
one has light brown sails - possibly
burlap?

Amazingly, both pieces remain there
for the entire series!
.
.
Dr Dibbs moving in
.
Before Dr Dibbs opened for business, we saw lots of items waiting to be unpacked sitting in this room.  The
rust leather patient chairs are stacked on top of each other, the two wooden side tables and the short round
table are all there, although just scattered around the room at first.  When they are close to opening the
office these items are back in their usual places.
.
.
We see mostly boxes in this
view, but the plants will remain
in the room. The small pots end
up on top of the filing cabinet,
the tall one in the wicker
basket will be on the desk
(behind the computer monitor),
the two pots with saucers will
be in the window at the back of
room, and the small covered
basket will be on the table in the
Front Left Corner.
.
.
This is right next to the doorway
to the vestibule and just
a box.  But sitting on top of the
box is a small wooden box that
was seen in the Consulting
Room in S2 & S3.  It was in
this room in the back window for
S4 and will remain there for S5,
and in the Living Room in S7.
.
.
This is at the base of the
staircase and we see one of the
familiar wooden tables.  The tall
daisy picture will hang in the
Front Left Corner of this room
in S5 and in the vestibule
in S6-9.  (Interestingly, we also
saw it in the hall just outside
Louisa's red bedroom in S3.)  At
the bottom we see a glimpse of
the strange dog painting that
will permanently hang next to
the Receptionist's Desk.
.
.
This is on the back wall, just to the
right of the door leading to the
Consulting Room.  On the right,
stacked on top of the chairs is a
wooden magazine rack that will be
at the back of this room in S5 and
then in the Living Room in S6 and
S8.  The lamp has been placed in
different areas of the back of the
room since S2 and continues to
hang out back there through S8.  
The tall barometer will hang right on
that wall and stay there through S9.
.
.
The lamp is placed here
temporarily, but will go into the
Back Right Corner when Dr
Dibbs opens the office.
.
.
As the furniture is being placed, these
3 items still need to be hung.  The
barometer will go on that wall, the dog
picture over by the Receptionist's
desk, and the gold framed picture in
back is a floral painting that will
hang next to the barometer in S5, on
the wall next to the stairwell in S6 &
S8, and in the Living Room in S7.
.
.
.
Episode 4-8
.
Episode 3
.
.
.
.
In the vestibule this series was just
a plain bulletin board.  This is the
only series where the wall did not
have some type of framed artwork.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Toilet under the staircase
.
.
.
.
Series 4
There have only been a few
glimpses into this small toilet.

One fan discussion has been how
impossible it is that a window is
shown on the back wall of this
small room in S4 when Mr Strain
left his urine sample on the
windowsill.  The back wall of this
room would be the right wall of
the Living Room!  (But, of course,
they needed the light of the
window so Pauline could notice
that the urine was blue.)
.
.
.
Series 8
.
.
.
.
.
.
Series 3
.
.
.
Notice that this
door locks from
the outside!
.
.
This is the decorative
ceiling light
.
.
.
.
Series 9
.
.
.
.
Series 9
.
.
There is no artwork on the wall at the base of the staircase in this series.  Most of
the rest of this area is pretty much unchanged.  There is a new small pottery lamp
and it has a shade that has been used on several lamps in the surgery.
.
.
.
The door seemed to always be open in
this series, but you can see that the
daisy picture is still there.
.
.
.
.
Series 9
.
.
. and a short, round wooden ta
.
.&
. and a short, round wooden ta
.
.&
.
.
.
.
.
Back Wall
.
This area of the room is just to the right of the door leading into the Consulting
Room.  There is a large window looking into a hallway that has only been used a
handful of times.  There are usually 2, 3 or 4 chairs sitting against the wall -
sometimes some of them under the window.  Next to the doorway there is always
at least one item hanging on the wall - a picture, a clock, a barometer.  The
window has a large sill and always holds an assortment of items.  

In S1 there were a pair of old black and white framed photos of Port Isaac on the
wall.  There were 3 brown plaid fabric & chrome chairs (we never saw them again
after S1 - they were replaced by the rust colored leather chairs) and a short,
round wooden table.  On the windowsill were a plant in a dark grey planter,
a carved wooden fish, and a light brown ceramic lamp.
.
.
Series 1
.
.
.
In this series there is a tall wooden pendulum clock on the wall.  There is also a
new piece of furniture in this area of the room - a large light wood cabinet sitting
right next to the door leading to the consulting room.  There are now more of the
rust colored leather chairs in the room and 4 of them are in the Back Right Corner
with the small round table in front.  In Episode 4, we find that the cabinet has now
been moved into the corner and the chairs and round table are now along the
back wall - an additional chair can often be found on the other side of the cabinet
along the right wall.  The items on top of the cabinet are all new - a brown pottery
lamp, a tall wooden carved bird, some type of small metal round covered box (on
a doily), and what appears to be a small round ceramic owl.  When the cabinet
moves to the corner, all remain except the round owl, which moves to the
windowsill.  On the windowsill are some books, the carved wooden fish from last
series, a tall lighthouse (can't discern whether it is ceramic or wood), and a china
Asian vase.
.
.
Series 2
.
.
.
Very little changed from the previous series.  The same clock, chairs and round
table are all there.  The only 3 items on the windowsill this series are the carved
bird, the lighthouse, and the pottery lamp.  The carved fish and the Asian vase
have moved over to the cabinet in the corner.
.
.
Series 3
.
.
.
.
The furniture remains the same in this series.  The same clock is on the wall, but
a landscape picture has been added to the right of the clock.  On the windowsill,
the three items from the previous series (bird, lighthouse, lamp) are on the right
side, and lots of new items added.  On the left are some books plus a small
wooden box that was in the Consulting Room the two previous series that is
being used as a bookend.  A new carved wooden fish is in the middle (with a
matching one in the Back Right Corner) and in front of it are 3 graduated sized
glass "ships in bottles".  In front of the lamp is a small wooden box that may be
the same box that appears in the Living Room in S6.

One addition to this area will only be there in S4 - a wall radiator.  Several of these
radiators appeared throughout the Surgery in just this series, including one on
the front wall in this same room.  All were gone again in S5.
.
.
Series 4
.
.
.
.
With Dr Dibbs taking over the office, there were several changes.  The chairs
and round table are still there, but two new items are on the wall.  There is
a tall wooden barometer and a new floral painting.  In addition, there is small
wooden magazine rack sitting on the floor beneath the window.  There are only a
couple of items on the windowsill - the small wooden box that was there last
series, two small plants in pots with saucers, and what looks like several
cardboard boxes - maybe they contain pamphlets?
.
.
Series 5
.
.
.
.
.
.
This area is very uncluttered in S6.  The chairs are still there, but the round
wooden table is gone - not to be seen again.  There is something sitting on the
floor next to the chairs (under the window) that I just can't identify.  The
barometer is still on the wall, but the floral painting is gone - moved to the wall
by the staircase.  The windowsill just contains 3 items - the bird sculpture, a new
black and white striped lighthouse (it was in the Living Room in S5), and what
appears to be a dark brown basket.
.
.
Series 6
.
.
.
.
The only change in this series is the many items added to windowsill.  The
wooden barometer is still there, as well as the usual chairs.  The odd reddish/
brown item on the floor is gone - it was only actually seen in one shot in S6.  On
the windowsill is a new wooden sailboat, the carved bird, some pamphlets in an
acrylic holder, a small castle made of either ceramic or wood, and the striped
lighthouse from the previous series.  In Episode 2, there is a small radio in the
middle of the windowsill.  We then see it being used in Episode 3 over by
Morwenna's desk, and later actually on her desk.  It stays behind her desk for
the rest of the series, taking the place of the larger one that has been there
going all the way back to S2.
.
.
Series 7
.
.
.
.
.
.
>
.
.
.
.
.
.
.old
.
There is very little different in Episode 1 of this series - just the addition of a
second bird sculpture on the windowsill - this one appears to be silver and has a
simple base.  The small radio from S7 is back on the windowsill.  In Episode 3
there are several changes.  One of the red framed pictures has been added to
the wall next to the wooden barometer - this picture was on the wall in the Back
Right Corner in Episode 1.  Over on the windowsill, several items are swapped
with the cabinet in the Back Right Corner.  The new bird sculpture and the radio
move to the cabinet, and a 2nd wooden sailboat moves to the windowsill - it had
been on the cabinet in S7.  The bird sculpture (the one on the pilings) is now
gone.  There is also a small white burro on the far left of the windowsill in
Episode 6 - it had been on top of the filing cabinet earlier in S8.  In addition to
the items moving back and forth to the cabinet, they also move around on the
windowsill all series long.
.
.
Series 8
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Episode 1
Episode 6
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
For some reason, the lamp had a
different shade in Episode 2 only.
.
.
Episode 4
Cabinet moved
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
What the heck
is this?
.
.
.
The chair on the right
is the one that was
reupholstered in S5.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The small radio was on the windowsill in
Episode 2, then on the filing cabinet and
later the desk in Episode 3.
.
.
Two different views of the sailboat.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.old
.
There is a lot the same in this series from the previous series.  The barometer
remains (it's been there since S5), but the red framed painting is gone and a new
painting has been added in its place.  The painting is difficult to see clearly, but it
appears to be a harbour with boats.  On the windowsill, the two wooden sailboats,
the small burro, and the striped lighthouse remain from the previous series.  The
bird sculpture on the pilings is back.
.
.
Series 9
.
.
.
.
.
.