MovieChat Forums > Doc Martin (2004) Discussion > Why are the doorways so short?

Why are the doorways so short?

posted 8 years ago by LostInNecropolis2
6 replies | jump to latest

I do realize people in the past were shorter and the village is old and that Doc Martin is 6'2" but even with those factored in the doorways still seem excessively short as do the ceilings.

[–] LeMarchand 8 years ago

You've answered your own question!

You probably need to factor in lack of wealth/resources, so they built small (and smaller = easier to keep warm - gets cold on the coast in winter).

Plus comedy effect.

No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.

[–] willjohn 8 years ago

People were shorter in earlier times.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

lots of small old houses in Cornwall. Many of them would have been built to house poor fishermen and miners - couldn't afford a lot if space.

[–] smokinwrek 8 years ago

In addition to what the others have stated, sometimes they used to tax based on various things like height of the building.

What I want to know (and this isn't specific to this show) is why do so many English doors have the knob in the center and/or have them located so high on the door??

[–] doug65oh 8 years ago

I wasn’t sure about the doors myself so I looked it up and found two plausible answers. If the structure/door is very old (from a time predating electrification, that is) setting a lock/knob high on the door would aid in opening it by lantern light for example.

The second possibility actually makes far more sense with a bit of thought. At standard height, it’s much easier to in essence “kick through” a knob/lock set than it is at greater height. Simple safety measure.

[–] DrWhen 8 years ago

I think they also exaggerate it with camera angles as a running joke.