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The Portico was first erected above the entrance to the Iron & Steel Works offices in 1933. It remained there until the latter half of the 1980's when the offices were pulled down after the closure of the Steel works in 1980. The Demolition Company, (Weldon Plant), who transferred it to Corby's Heritage Centre at East Carlton Park, saved the Portico.
It is now accepted that the Portico is the only remaining part of the Steel works within our town It will always be a reminder to the residents that, for 50 years, there was an integrated steel works here and that the steel works was the main reason the town developed as it did, also bringing together people from 52 different nations.
The Sculpture
The sculpture, as we see it now, was once part of a much larger exhibit. It was a gift to the town from the Development Corporation, later known as the New Towns Commission. It was presented to the town to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Corby being given New Town status.
The early 1970's saw the town centre expand and the sculpture was incorporated within part of the new extension to the town centre. It was erected within Queens Square and, in its entirety, looked impressive and took up quite a bit of the available area. The dedication plate was unveiled in 1974 by the Duchess of Gloucester. The artist, who is a member of the Royal Society, explained that it was his interruption of molten steel coiling down and flowing over limestone into water, limestone and water played a major part in the steel making process.
The sculpture and the area was very popular with shoppers and was very well used as a resting place whilst shopping during the spring and summer days. Those who hadn't known of the artists' view would sit and ponder and discuss with others, each having their own view on the meaning of the sculpture. For many years it was affectionately called by many (and still is by some) the pigs tail.
In 1988 the town centre was sold to TOPS Estates, and in the early 1990's they planned to develop the Market Square in another part of the town centre.
TOPS Estates then planned to transfer the market to Queens Square, but to do this they had to remove the Spirit of Corby sculpture and redevelop the square.
They went ahead with their plans and the sculpture was taken down and transferred to Corby Council.
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