The practice was established in the mid 19th Century by Frederick George Hayward with offices in Stowmarket and Needham Market.  Some years later, Frederick’s son – Percy Charles Gallimore Hayward – joined his father, at which time the practice became known as Hayward & Son. In 1953 the practice was sold and Bankes Ashton of Bury St. Edmunds bought the Stowmarket office. The firm then practised in Stowmarket as Bankes Ashton & Hayward.

On 1st January 1992, Haywards was re-established when two partners at Bankes Ashton, Guy Wiltshear and a colleague who has since retired, purchased the Stowmarket office of that practice from their fellow partners. Guy Wiltshear and Fiona Bailey are the practices current partners.