Henry IV
Preserved but no longer current.
Another suggestion is that it was so called because funeral processions on their way to St. Paul's began their pater noster at the beginning of the Row. For over three centuries Paternoster Row was the home of publishers and booksellers. It was totally destroyed in an air raid at the end of December, 1940.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Henry IV” mean?
Another suggestion is that it was so called because funeral processions on their way to St. Paul's began their pater noster at the beginning of the Row. For over three centuries Paternoster Row was the home of publishers and booksellers. It was totally destroyed in an air raid at the end of December, 1940.
Is “Henry IV” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.