Corby, England
Little Scotland-on-Nene
"Steel Yourself: A Northern Soul in the Midlands"
Official Coat of Arms
A shield dominated by a rusted steel girder rampant, flanked by two swimmers in vintage costume in honour of the beloved International Pool, beneath a banner reading 'We Used To Make Things Here'. The crest features a distant Scottish thistle, faded from decades of transplantation.
TripAdvisor Review
★★★☆☆ 3/5
"Came here expecting a typical Northamptonshire market town and instead found what locals proudly call 'Little Scotland' due to the accent left over from the steelworks migration - genuinely fascinating social history. The town centre precinct is a bit tired and the old steelworks site still looms large in the landscape, but the Corby International Pool is a proper retro gem. Three stars because the tube tower memorial deserves more visitors than it gets."— Marion Fletcher-Wade, Kettering
Property Listing
Bijou opportunity in a town on the up, offering unrivalled access to the A14 and A43 for the discerning commuter who doesn't mind a drive! This former industrial powerhouse now boasts a stunning Olympic-legacy diving pool and genuinely affordable family homes, making it the Midlands' best-kept secret (for now).
Twinned With
Motherwell — Both towns built their identity on steel and then had to figure out who they were after the furnaces went cold.
Supporting Evidence
Corby has such a strong Scottish heritage from 1930s steelworkers relocating there that it was nicknamed 'Little Scotland' and locals developed a distinctive Corby-Scottish accent still noted by linguists today.