All Things Bright and Beautiful facts for kids

"All Things Bright and Beautiful" is a well-known Anglican hymn. It is also sung in many other Christian churches around the world. The words were written by Cecil Frances Alexander and first appeared in her book Hymns for Little Children in 1848.

The hymn is often sung to a tune called All Things Bright And Beautiful. This melody was created by William Henry Monk in 1887. Another popular tune for the hymn is Royal Oak. This tune comes from an old English folk song from the 1600s called "The 29th of May."

The Words of the Hymn

Cecil Frances Alexander's original words for the hymn are:

The United Church of Canada sometimes includes an extra verse:

The Music for the Hymn

"The 29th of May" from The Dancing Master by John Playford (Seventh Edition – 1686)

The hymn is often sung to the hymn tune called All Things Bright And Beautiful. This melody was composed by William Henry Monk in 1887.

It is also often sung to the tune Royal Oak. This melody was adapted from a folk tune from the 1600s. The original tune was called "The Twenty-Ninth of May." It was published in a book called The Dancing Master in 1686. The name "Royal Oak" might refer to a famous tree. King Charles II once hid in this tree in 1651 during a time of conflict. This tune was later adapted by Martin Shaw.

Other musicians have also created their own versions of the hymn. For example, John Rutter created a full piece for a choir. In older hymn books, other tunes were sometimes used. These included "God in Nature" by John Stainer and "All Things Bright" by Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley. The chorus of this hymn is often suggested as a good Christian song for young children to learn.

How the Hymn is Remembered

In the 1900s, a writer named James Herriot used parts of the hymn's words for his book titles. He wrote a series of popular stories about a veterinarian. His books include All Creatures Great and Small (1972), All Things Bright and Beautiful (1974), All Things Wise and Wonderful (1977), and The Lord God Made Them All (1981). These books were also made into a movie in 1975 and a TV show in 1978.

The hymn has also appeared in other ways. In the 1970 science fiction movie Beneath the Planet of the Apes, the composer Leonard Rosenman created a different, unsettling version of the hymn. It was used for a group in the movie who had unusual beliefs. The famous comedy group Monty Python also made fun of the hymn in their 1980 album. They sang about "All Things Dull And Ugly" using Monk's melody, turning the original words upside down.

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• Free scores of All Things Bright and Beautiful (Monk) in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)

performed by The Charlottesville Baroque Ensemble

Images for kids

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  The Sugar Loaf, Monmouthshire

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  Blorenge, Monmouthshire, with the River Usk running by

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  Markree Castle gardens

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  Grabbist Hill, Somerset

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  the River Avill, Somerset

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  Benevenagh, County Londonderry

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  River Roe, County Londonderry