Magpie Lane

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Magpie Lane is an English folk group, based in Oxford, England.

The musicians of Magpie Lane first came together in the winter of 1992–93 to record "The Oxford Ramble", a collection of songs and tunes from, or about, Oxfordshire. Although originally conceived as a one-off recording project, the band soon took on a life of its own. The success of "The Oxford Ramble" led to the release of a second CD, "Speed the Plough", a year later; to be followed shortly afterwards by "Wassail: a Country Christmas" and "Jack in the Green". The celebration of beer in song "A Taste of Ale" was commissioned by highly respected author and folksong scholar Roy Palmer, to accompany his book of the same name, and was the first to feature new recruit Benji Kirkpatrick. The band's next recording was "Six for Gold" with Sophie Polhill and Marguerite Hutchinson in the line-up, alongside Benji Kirkpatrick, and original members Ian Giles, Mat Green and Andy Turner. "Magpie Lane" is the name of a street in central Oxford.