Until the 19th-century, what is now Parliament Street was covered with buildings, facing onto Pavement, Jubbergate, and St Sampson's Square. The markets in Pavement and St Sampson's Square had become increasingly crowded, and after considering the possibilities of enlarging them, or establishing a new market on various potential sites, the city corporation decided to construct a broad street linking the two, which would become a new marketplace.[1][2]
In 1833, the city obtained an act of Parliament, the York Improvement and Markets Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. lxii), permitting the setting up of a new market, and held a competition for the best design. The surveyors Pickersgill and Oates took the £30 top prize. In February 1834, the city began demolishing the buildings on the site, and from 1835 to 1840 laid out the new road, which was named "Parliament Street", constructing large buildings on each site of the street. These are mostly of four stories, and were built with shops on the ground floor, and living quarters above. All the buildings have since been converted to have offices above, and some blocks have been entirely rebuilt.[1][2]
The Parliament Street Market opened in 1836, running every day, but with Saturday as the principal market day. It was the city's main market until 1955, when it completed a move to what is now the Shambles Market.[1][3] In 1989, a competition was held to redesign the street, and this led to it being largely pedestrianised, with a single carriageway on one side.[4] A variety of High Street shops now line the street, including a large branch of Marks and Spencers, and it is also used to host a variety of festivals and temporary markets.[5][6]
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