Cecil Frances Alexander Heritage Bus Tour

“All Things Bright and Beautiful”: New Heritage Bus Tour Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Cecil Frances Alexander on Saturday April 25th 2026.

Strabane / Derry~Londonderry — A new, one-day heritage bus tour celebrating the remarkable life, faith, and social influence of Cecil Frances Alexander will launch this April, inviting participants to journey through the landscapes and places that inspired one of Ireland’s most influential 19th-century women.

This cross-border tour has been created by The Churches Trust and funded by PEACEPLUS, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council. It is free to attend and there is no booking fee. Places are available to book on Eventbrite only.

Titled “Bright & Beautiful: The Cecil Frances Alexander One-Day Heritage Bus Tour,” the experience runs from 9.00am to approximately 5.00pm on Saturday April 25th 2026, beginning and ending in Strabane, with an optional early pick-up in Derry~Londonderry. The tour weaves together faith, poetry, landscape, education, and social conscience, offering a richly layered exploration of Alexander’s enduring legacy.

Best known worldwide as the author of hymns such as All Things Bright and Beautiful, Once in Royal David’s City, and There Is a Green Hill Far Away, Cecil Frances Alexander lived much of her adult life in the north-west of Ireland. Her work combined literary brilliance with deep compassion, reflecting a lifelong commitment to children’s education, charitable action, and inclusive community life.

The day begins at Christ Church Strabane, near the site of the original church, which no longer exists, where Alexander worshipped during her years in the town and her husband, William Alexander, served as rector. A guided talk will explore the church’s history, stained-glass windows, and Alexander’s pioneering work in local charity and education, including her involvement with setting up a school for deaf and mute children in the area.

Travelling by coach through rural Tyrone, participants will pass Milltown House and visit Baronscourt Estate, before continuing to St Bestius’ Church in Killeter. This parish was Alexander’s home following her marriage and is closely associated with some of her most influential hymn writing. Here, the focus turns to parish life, rural ministry, and her innovative approach to hymns written specifically for children and education.

Crossing into Donegal, the tour continues to Fahan, overlooking Lough Swilly. Often described as the setting of some of the happiest years of Alexander’s married life. Fahan’s dramatic landscape against the shores of Lough Swilly, reflects the natural imagery that runs throughout her hymns. Visitors will explore the Church of Ireland site and the area around her former home at The Old Rectory, with guided reflections on her social influence in 19th-century Ireland.

After a provided lunch in Derry~Londonderry, the afternoon includes a guided visit to St Columb’s Cathedral, where William Alexander later served as Bishop. The cathedral contains a stained-glass window dedicated to Cecil Frances Alexander, and her memory is further honoured through portraits and a music room named after her, underscoring her cultural and spiritual significance.

The tour concludes at City Cemetery Derry, where Alexander is buried. This reflective final stop offers insight into her remembrance, with a short reading from There Is a Green Hill Far Away and the laying of flowers at her grave.

Speaking about the tour, organisers said it aims to “bring together place, poetry, and people in a way that honours Cecil Frances Alexander not only as a hymn writer of international stature and a unifying historical figure, but as a woman of profound social conscience whose work continues to resonate across cultures and denominations.”

The Cecil Frances Alexander Heritage Bus Tour is designed to be accessible, informative, and reflective, appealing to heritage enthusiasts, faith communities, literary audiences, and anyone interested in women’s history in Ireland.

Details may vary subject to final confirmations.

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Host or Publisher The Churches Trust