This is the earliest compilation album of the British folk band (The) Pentangle. Pentangle was founded in 1967, and existed until 1973, and in different shapes from 1981 until now. Jacqui McShee is the only member of the original group still part of the new Pentangle, and one of the three founding members that are still alive.
The band is named as a reference to both it’s five members (penta is Greek for five) and at the same time to the shield of Sir Gawain in the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The work was a personal fascination of the other singer, John Renbourn. It also happens to be a major study work of J. R. R. Tolkien (I told earlier about my interest in him).
Musically this album is more like 60s style folk, and it might be a bit pretentious in that sense. The members didn’t like the label folk-rock for it, because it was more folk-jazz.