The band was founded by Andy Watts (principal bassoon in the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment) and Giles Lewin (Dufay Collective) while they were members of the Medieval Players touring theatre company in the 1980s.
The show featured actors, giant carnival characters, puppets, acrobatics, juggling and 16th-century music.
Together with percussionist Charles Fullbrook the quartet made their debut on the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool canal at the Burnley Canalside Festival in 1984.
There have been four lineup changes since then: Bill Bradley and Raph Mizraki both continue to make occasional guest appearances with the band.
Maddy Prior's collaboration with the band began near the start of their existence in 1984 for a BBC radio programme of Christmas carols.