Today’s festive song is Once In Royal David’s City. This was originally written as a poem in 1848 by Cecil Humphreys (who also wrote All Things Bright And Beautiful) in her Hymnbook For Little Children. The English organist John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music. Once In Royal David’s City has been used as the opening hymn at the King’s College Chapel Cambridge Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Christmas Eve service since 1919.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or for more Christmaciousness, see all of my December songs here.