Once in Royal David's City

The words

1. Alexander

   Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander, who wrote the carol’s words.

   Moffatt, Handbook to the Church Hymnary (opens a new tab)

2. Apostles' Creed

   The creed whose clauses the 1848 hymn series explains.

   Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab)

3. Boris Ord

   The King’s College organist in whose time a solo chorister began the carol.

   King’s College (opens a new tab)

4. Cattle Shed

   The lowly shelter in the carol’s first verse.

   Alexander, Hymns for Little Children (opens a new tab)

5. County Tyrone

   The Irish county where Mrs Alexander was born.

   Moffatt, Handbook to the Church Hymnary (opens a new tab)

6. Cradle

   The baby’s bed, which the carol says was a stall.

   Alexander, Hymns for Little Children (opens a new tab)

7. Gauntlett

   Henry Gauntlett, composer of the carol’s tune.

   Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab) · Cowan and Love, The Music of the Church (opens a new tab)

8. Humphreys

   Mrs Alexander’s maiden name, under which she wrote the carol.

   Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab) · Moffatt, Handbook to the Church Hymnary (opens a new tab)

9. Irby

   The name of Gauntlett’s tune for the carol.

   Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab)

10. Joseph Masters

    The London publisher of the 1848 hymns and the 1849 carols.

    Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab)

11. Londonderry

    The city whose school for deaf children received the book’s profits.

    Moffatt, Handbook to the Church Hymnary (opens a new tab)

12. Mary

    The mother in the carol’s first verse.

    Alexander, Hymns for Little Children (opens a new tab)

13. Oxen

    The animals standing by the stable in the carol’s last verse.

    Alexander, Hymns for Little Children (opens a new tab)

14. Solo Chorister

    The single boy who sings the first verse at King’s College.

    King’s College (opens a new tab)

15. Stable

    The shelter named in the carol’s second verse.

    Alexander, Hymns for Little Children (opens a new tab)