"Corn Market is a comparatively modern title. The street was known in the olden time by the name of Shamble Street, from the Shambles having been in it or adjoining it. The Castle Place corner of Corn Market was a great meeting-spot a century ago. It was called Paddy Gaw's Corner, from a person of that name whose shop was there" (George Benn, A History of the Town of Belfast, vol. i, 1877, p. 532).
It was here on 17th July 1798 that Henry Joy McCracken was hanged in front of the Market House at the corner of High Street.
It was mentioned as Corn Market in deeds relating to Belfast in 1692. It is included in the list of streets in the Belfast Directory 1831-1832.