[1][2] Heywood was born into a distinguished ecclesiastical family, the sixth son of Henry Robinson Heywood, priest and honorary canon of Manchester Cathedral.

[4] He was made deacon in the Church of England on Trinity Sunday 1894 (20 May)[5] and ordained priest the following Trinity Sunday (9 June 1895) — both times by James Moorhouse, Bishop of Manchester, at Manchester Cathedral.

In January 1926, Heywood's nomination to become the next Bishop of Southwell was approved;[7] since that diocese had no Dean and Chapter at the time, his appointment was effected not by election[8] but by letters patent dated 1 February[9] and he was consecrated a bishop on Lady Day (25 March), by Randall Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.

[11] From June 1929 onwards, Heywood served as an Assistant Bishop of York with oversight of the East Riding[12] (Francis Gurdon, Bishop of Hull, resigned in ill-health effective 1 July 1929)[13] Heywood himself was then appointed to succeed Gurdon as suffragan Bishop of Hull in July 1931[14] and Archdeacon of the East Riding the same year.

[15] He served in both posts until 1934, when he became Bishop of Ely,[16] retiring (again in ill health) in 1940/41.