[2] Old Market's Pie Poudre Court, which dealt out summary justice to market-day offenders, was not formally abolished until 1971.

[1] Old Market suffered decades of neglect and severe decline in the mid-20th century due to the removal of Bristol's historic central shopping area from Castle Street to Broadmead and the construction of Temple Way Underpass and Easton Way, which severed it from Bristol's pre-war shopping axis in both directions.

[1][3] Some important buildings still suffer from neglect, but the actions of local conservationists together with grant-aided schemes in the wake of its declaration as a Conservation Area in 1979 have done much to arrest the decline.

[1] In the 13th century, the area was enclosed by a defensive ditch, with Lawford's Gate at the eastern end separating it from West Street.

West Street was outside Bristol's jurisdiction and exempt from local taxes, and became a place of inns, low lodgings, squatters and outlaws.

Landmark buildings include the domed Methodist Central Hall (now converted to flats), Holy Trinity Church (now a music venue and studio), St Jude's Church, St Nicolas Church, Trinity Road Library, the Holy Trinity Almshouses (founded by John and Isabella Barstaple in 1402 and rebuilt in the mid-19th century), the Stag and Hounds Public House (once home of the Pie Poudre Court), the Palace Hotel and Gardiners Warehouse.

The name comes from the French, "pieds poudrés" which can be translated as "dusty feet", and was a temporary court set up for the duration of a fair or market to deal with travellers who were not resident in the town.

It was held in the open air under an ancient oak tree, the site of which the Stag and Hounds Public House was built on.

[8] Old Market has been declared Bristol's Gay Village, and most of the pubs and bars on West Street are gay-run or LGBT-gay friendly.