Hayley matriculated at the age of 15 and went on to become a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. He was awarded a BA in 1676, MA in 1680 and DD in 1695.[2]
Hayley's father, who was also called William, originally came from Bridgnorth but moved to Cleobury-Mortimer where he married a Catherine Bach. Hayley was one of their seven children.[1]
Hayley married the daughter of Sir Thomas Mears and had one son Thomas and a daughter Anne. He died at his house in Great Russell Street on 30 October 1715 and is buried in the chancel of St Giles in the Fields.[4] William's younger brother, Thomas also became Dean of Chichester Cathedral. William was great uncle to the writer William Hayley.