Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Chetwynd-Hayes worked in the furnishing trade. His first published work was the science fiction novel
The Man From The Bomb of 1959. He subsequently published many collections and ten other novels including
The Grange,
The Haunted Grange,
And Love Survived and
The Curse of the Snake God. Several of his short works were adapted into anthology-style movies in the United Kingdom, including
The Monster Club and
From Beyond the Grave. Chetwynd-Hayes' book
The Monster Club contains references to a movie-maker named Vinke Rocnnor, an
anagram of
Kevin Connor, the director of
From Beyond The Grave.
John Carradine played Chetwynd-Hayes in
The Monster Club. He also edited more than 20 anthologies. Chetwynd-Hayes assumed the editorship of the
Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories after the departure of the previous editor,
Robert Aickman. Chetwynd-Hayes also edited several other anthologies, including the
Armada Monster Book series for children. Chetwynd-Hayes was nicknamed "Britain's Prince of Chill" by British horror
fandom. ==Reception==