British folk-rock band formed in 1970 by singer Sandy Denny on her departure from Fairport Convention.

The band drew its name from Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in England and which was also the inspiration for the song Fotheringay on Fairport Convention's 1969 album What We Did on Our Holidays.

Two former members of Eclection, Trevor Lucas and Gerry Conway, and two former members of Poet and the One Man Band, Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (bass), completed the line-up responsible for the quintet's only album. This folk-based set included several Denny originals and although criticised at the time as constrained is now considered an accomplished work. However, the album failed to match commercial expectations and pressures on Denny to undertake a solo career increased.

Fotheringay disbanded in 1971 during sessions for a projected second album. Some of its songs surfaced on Denny's 1971 debut album, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Lucas, Conway and Donahue joined Fairport Convention in 1972 to record the Rosie album (on which some Fotheringay material was also used). However, Conway played on three tracks only and began session work afterwards. Both Conway and Donaldson have worked with Richard Thompson, among many others. Lucas and Donahue stayed with Fairport for another couple of years, with Denny rejoining in 1974. Denny, along with Donahue and Lucas, left the band late December 1975. Conway eventually joined a reformed Fairport in 1997.

In 2007 the BBC announced that Donahue would be attempting to complete the abandoned project using archived tapes. The album, titled Fotheringay 2, was released by Fledg'ling Records in September 2008.