High Street, Sheffield

High Street is one of the main thoroughfares and shopping areas in the city centre of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, located at the approximate grid reference of SK356874. High Street starts at the Commercial Street, Fitzalan Square and Haymarket junction and runs for approximately 400 metres west to conclude near the Sheffield Cathedral where it forms a Y-junction with Fargate and Church Street. High Street has the traditional wide variety of shops, financial institutions and eating places which are associated with any British town centre.

High Street has existed for as long as Sheffield has been a settlement of any importance. The first documented mention was in the 12th century when it was written that Worksop Priory owned five principal properties on the north side of High Street. The connection between Sheffield and Worksop Priory comes from William de Lovetot, lord of Hallamshire, who founded the Priory in 1103. These strong connections gave High Street the alternative name of Prior Gate as late as the 18th century. Sheffield's first Master Cutler Robert Sorsby bought a house on the south side of High Street in 1611 and had completely rebuilt it by the time he took office in 1624. In 1637 High Street had eleven shops at the entrance to the churchyard, these were an overspill from the Tuesday and Thursday markets in Market Place. Another Master Cutler, Christopher Broomhead, who took office in 1696 had a house in Prior Row. Towards the end of the 17th century, High Street had some of the best houses in town with many being rebuilt in stone with slate roofs.

High Street was the site of the original Sheffield Town Hall, which was situated by the church gates; it was a modest building which was replaced by a more impressive structure in 1808 on Waingate. For many years High Street remained no wider than it had been in the Middle Ages; it was too narrow for horse trams to pass through. It had the timber framed bailiff's house (built in 1574) on its south side right up to the end of the 19th century.

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