Port Isaac harbour
Renamed Portwenn and made popular as the setting for the television series 'Doc Martin,' Port Isaac has been an attractive Cornish fishing village since the early fourteenth century. Its narrow, winding streets are lined with old white-washed cottages and traditional granite, slate-fronted Cornish houses, many of which are listed as of architectural or historic importance. From the Middle Ages until the middle of the 19th century, Port Isaac was a busy port handling various imports and exports, including coal, timber, pottery and Delabole slate. In fact the name Port Isaac is derived from the Cornish Porth Izzick meaning the 'corn port'.
After the advent of the railways, it became principally a fishing port.
Located in the middle of the North Cornwall coast the village is a perfect jumble of whitewashed fisherman's cottages spilling down to the harbour along some unfeasibly narrow lanes, the most famous being 'Squeezy Belly Alley.'
In the old days life revolved around the harbour with fishing and shipping the mainstay of the village. Times were good and this can be seen in the fine buildings around the harbour.
The Doc Martin series is not the first time Port Isaac's special qualities have been used in a film location. Much of the original 1970s Poldark television series was filmed here as were scenes from Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, The Shell Seekers, in 2005.
Port Isaac harbour
Renamed Portwenn and made popular as the setting for the television series 'Doc Martin,' Port Isaac has been an attractive Cornish fishing village since the early fourteenth century. Its narrow, winding streets are lined with old white-washed cottages and traditional granite, slate-fronted Cornish houses, many of which are listed as of architectural or historic importance. From the Middle Ages until the middle of the 19th century, Port Isaac was a busy port handling various imports and exports, including coal, timber, pottery and Delabole slate. In fact the name Port Isaac is derived from the Cornish Porth Izzick meaning the 'corn port'.
After the advent of the railways, it became principally a fishing port.
Located in the middle of the North Cornwall coast the village is a perfect jumble of whitewashed fisherman's cottages spilling down to the harbour along some unfeasibly narrow lanes, the most famous being 'Squeezy Belly Alley.'
In the old days life revolved around the harbour with fishing and shipping the mainstay of the village. Times were good and this can be seen in the fine buildings around the harbour.
The Doc Martin series is not the first time Port Isaac's special qualities have been used in a film location. Much of the original 1970s Poldark television series was filmed here as were scenes from Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, The Shell Seekers, in 2005.