Confirmed · Inland Cornwall · Historic house
Pencarrow House and Gardens
The country house where Martin and Louisa's first date goes wrong in Doc Martin. Tickets needed · seasonal; allow 2–3 hours.
- On screen as
- The country house where Martin and Louisa's first date goes wrong
- Series and episodes
- Series 3 · Series 3, Episode 5
- Access
- Tickets needed · seasonal
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Where
- Near Bodmin, Cornwall
On screen
How Pencarrow House and Gardens appears
In Series 3, Episode 5, The Holly Bears a Prickle, Martin and Louisa's first proper date is an outdoor concert at a country house, and the evening goes badly wrong. Pencarrow's grounds supplied that setting, and the house's owners confirm that Doc Martin filmed there. On screen it is simply a grand house within reach of Portwenn. It is the most straightforward Doc Martin location to visit as a day out, because it is a family-run attraction with a visitor season.
The real place
What you can visit
Pencarrow is a Georgian country house, still lived in by the Molesworth-St Aubyn family, set in large woodland gardens between Bodmin and Wadebridge. The house is shown on guided tours in season, and the gardens, café and shop open for a longer season. Opening days and prices change each year, so check the official website before travelling and book a house tour if you want to see inside. The gardens are best in spring for rhododendrons and camellias.
Stay on the visitor routes and follow the guide's instructions in the house. The family lives here, and private areas are clearly marked.
Pencarrow House: the house ↗Pencarrow is signposted from the A389 between Bodmin and Wadebridge and has its own visitor car park. Bodmin Parkway is the nearest railway station, a taxi ride away. Access varies across historic rooms and garden paths, so check the house's accessibility information before you visit.
Common questions
Planning a responsible visit
Which episode was filmed at Pencarrow?
Series 3, Episode 5, The Holly Bears a Prickle, in which Martin and Louisa's country-house concert date goes wrong.
Can you visit Pencarrow?
Yes. It is a family-run house and gardens with a visitor season. Check the official website for this year's opening dates, tours and prices.
Do you need to book?
House tours run at set times in season, so check the website and book or arrive in good time. The gardens are usually simpler to visit.
Is there a café?
There is a café and shop in season. Opening can differ from the house tours, so check the website before a winter visit.
Plan your visit
Build it into the day.
Combine it with Wadebridge and the Camel Trail, or with St Nonna's Church at Altarnun on a drive across Bodmin Moor.
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Map
Days out including this place
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