Designed in the Decorated Gothic style by George Frederick Bodley, it was built between 1863 and 1865 as the town began to grow rapidly, and stands in a prominent position on the highest ground in the area.

In the medieval period, the area was heathland supporting some small farms and crossed by roads[2] to the nearby villages of Cuckfield and Lindfield—both of which had churches by the 12th century.

[5] It was used to muster troops during the Restoration, when King Charles II re-established the English monarchy, and as a venue for the sale of pigs.

One of the first routes planned in England was a connection between London and the fashionable seaside resort of Brighton, about 50 miles (80 km) to the south.

[16] In 1856, two unmarried sisters, Anne and Frances Dealtry, who lived locally in a mansion called Bolnore, paid for the construction of Haywards Heath's first school.

It was decided that the building should be used for religious services as well; the first was held in December 1856, and children enrolled at the school (named St Wilfrid's) from 1857.

[21] Architect George Frederick Bodley had been commissioned by the Vicar of Cuckfield to design the church; the builder was John Fabian.

[20][28][30] The nave is of five bays with buttressed north and south aisles and a clerestory, lit by quatrefoil and cinquefoil (four- and five-lobed) windows.

[31] William Morris provided some stained glass depicting saints, and the east window has an Expressionist design of the early 1960s.

[23] Memorials in the church include a lectern in the shape of an eagle, for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887; a cross in the churchyard, dedicated in 1903 to local victims of the Second Boer War; an altar piece commemorating the London Rifle Brigade, who used the church when they were based in Haywards Heath during World War I;[24] stained glass depicting soldiers in combat and in hospital during the same war;[28] and a brass plaque in memory of John Mason Neale,[30] warden of Sackville College in nearby East Grinstead who also translated and wrote many hymns and carols, including "Good King Wenceslas".

The parish of St Wilfrid covers a large part of the south side of Haywards Heath and the surrounding countryside, and until 2003 included two daughter churches—one of which was outside its boundary.

[34] The Church of the Good Shepherd, on the Franklands Village housing estate in the east of the town, was built in 1964–65 by architect William Newman.