Born on 30 April 1820 at Henley-on-Thames, he was the only son of James Russell Woodford, a hop-merchant in Southwark, and Frances, daughter of Robert Appleton of Henley.

Woodford was one of the eighteen clergy who in the following year signed the protest against the primate John Bird Sumner's condemnation of Archdeacon George Anthony Denison.

During the thirteen years he was at Kempsford he attracted attention as a preacher, and was made by Bishop Samuel Wilberforce one of his examining chaplains, Woodford became honorary canon of Christchurch, and in 1864 was for the first time a select preacher at Cambridge, He also acted as proctor for the clergy of his diocese in the Canterbury convocation, In 1868 Woodford was appointed vicar of Leeds.

Soon after his succession to the see Woodford set on foot a general diocesan fund to be applied towards the increase of church accommodation and the assistance of poor parishes and incumbents.

Woodford was co-editor with Hyde Wyndham Beadon of the Parish Hymn Book, 1883, and assisted in the compilation of the Sarum Hymnal in 1868.