Released in 1971, this was Magna Carta’s third album. It is currently available on CD either on the Pid label (I408130), the Repertoire label (0004447 REP), or as part of a double album together with Seasons on the Mercury label (5388122).
Track List
⋅ The Bridge at Knaresborough Town
⋅ White Snow Dove
⋅ Parliament Hill
⋅ Wayfaring
⋅ Down along Up (1)
⋅ Country Jam (1)
⋅ Time for the Leaving
⋅ Beyond the Isle of Skye
⋅ Sponge (instrumental) (2)
⋅ Sunday on the River
⋅ Good morning Sun
⋅ Home Groan
All songs written by Chris Simpson except:
(1) written by Chris Simpson, D. Johnstone and Stewart
(2) written by Davey Johnstone
Chris Simpson explained the album title, in December 2025:
“I’m happy to tell you about Wasties Orchard!
Magna Carta had already released Seasons and Times of Change – we were all living in London at that time. After Seasons, Davey Johnstone (who went on to be Elton John’s guitarist, and still is to this day) left London and moved into a flat with his wife up in Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire – 60 miles out of London. Davey was at the time exploring his music with Noel Murphy.
Myself and Glenn Stuart would travel up to Davey’s flat in Long Hanborough to play our music – staying over there many nights. That’s where we rehearsed all the songs for the album, it’s where the songs evolved and became what they were. The road that Davey lived on was called Wasties Orchard – it just seemed like a natural thing to do, name the album after the place that it was born! It was subsequently recorded in London at Trident with Gus Dudgeon.
The record company came up with the idea for the album sleeve, but my input was that I wanted them to be Cox’s Orange Pippin apples. I’m not sure that they were though!
Going to Davey’s home in Wasties Orchard was enjoyable – it was where the songs that I’d written in London were developed into what they are on the album. A very very nice experience.”