Fish Street once contained a number of fine half-timbered house's, the finest being the Fishmongers Hall, dating back to the 13th century. It stood until 1905, but it had been allowed to decay into a dismal ruin, and finally collapsed. It had been divided up into nine slum tenements but still had a number of carved oak barge boards. Under the layers of whitewash four finely carved panels were discovered which were sold to Haughton's, the ecclesiastic sculptors nearby. The barge boards bore the emblematical device -the carving of a fish.
The fishermen of Worcester were restricted to Fish Street in their trading operations, like the butchers to the Shamble.
In the Middle-Ages and later, no one could trade in the City without a license, and a rigid scrutiny was kept upon all the fish brought to the City. In Henry VII's day, every fisher paid 1d a day for selling his 'Vittell' from the Kings bords, also 1/2d to the sword bearer for every salmon sold'. The fishermen could not sell their supply until an alderman or others of the Corporation had been round to smell it. Later, two appointed fishmongers were chosen to inspect fish brought into the City to see that it 'was able and set for man's body'. The corrupt and deflective Vittell' was given to prisoners' and poor men.