The street was constructed between 1790 and 1791, with an initial requirement that only housing could be constructed along it. This gradually changed, with a music hall being constructed in 1792/3, with a small hall underneath for trading in cloth. In 1802, a Methodist Chapel opened. By the 1850s, buildings on the street included the General Post Office, the American Consulate, the Inland Revenue Office, Coroner's Office, Clerk of the Peace's Office, Stock Exchange Hall, and the Catholic Literary Institution. During the 20th century, the street became lined with shops, including a large
Leeds Co-operative Society store. The southern part of the street was pedestrianised in 1970. ==Layout and architecture==