The precinct of York Minster lay immediately north of the street, and until the early 19th-century, was entered through a gateway.

The original site of the York Dominican Friary may have been on the street, although it moved to Toft Green in 1227.

[3] Many Mediaeval buildings survive on the street, although some were destroyed when its south-western end was widened in 1771, or when Deangate was constructed in 1906.

Several non-conformist churches have existed on the street, including the Methodist Monk Bar Chapel, while the former Lecture Hall was used by Baptists and then Presbyterians.

[1] The street has long been a centre for retail, with a market created in 1502 for beds, mattresses and upholstery.