High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100?1 September 1159), born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159. Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair. It is generally believed that Nicholas Breakspear was born at Breakspear Farm in the parish of Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire and received his early education at the Abbey School, St Albans (St Albans School). His father was Robert who later became a monk at St Albans. Nicholas himself, however, was refused admission to the monastery, being told by the abbot to 'wait to go on with his schooling so that he might be considered more suitable' (Abbey chronicles). In the event he did not wait and went instead to Paris and finally became a canon regular of the cloister of St.