On October 15, 1950, "Youth Sunday," ground was broken on the construction of Canterbury Chapel, a student center, and a Chaplain's residence. Bishop Carpenter officiated and was assisted by the Rev. George Murray and the Rev. DuBose Murphy, Rector of Christ Church. The first part of the service was read by the Rev. Murray and the Rev. murphy with responses from the congregation. The students that were preparing for seminary outlined the Chapel area and formed a diagonal cross with string. The Bishop said the traditional words, "Forasmuch as devout and faithful people have taken in hand to build on this ground, now marked with the symbol of Christ, a House to be dedicated to the glory of God, to e known as Canterbury Chapel, wherein the Gospel shall be truly preached, the Sacraments duly administered, and the service of Prayer and Praise offered in this and coming generations; therefore I break ground for this Church; In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." Once this was said, Bishop Carpenter made a cross with the spade at the site of the altar and removed a spadeful of earth. He was followed by the Rev. Murphy; Dr. John Gallalee, President of the University; Mr. Frank Fitts, member of the Building Committee and an early advocate of the building of the Student Center; and the Rev. Murphy; all of whom removed spadefuls of earth. A reception followed at Foster House.
On October 14, 1951, Canterbury Chapel was consecrated. Bishop Carpenter officiated. The Chapel was filled with students and visitors from various parts of the Diocese. Bishop Carpenter preached on "The Romance of the Church Aisle" emphasizing the access Christian people have through their Church to Our Father God, as exemplified by the open Church Aisle running the length of the Church building to the very Altar of God.
The Chapel was 114 feet in length, and was designed for 225 people in the pews and 24 in the choir. The chancel, the largest in Alabama at the time, was the same width as the nave, and could accommodate 20 people kneeling at the altar rail. Connected to the Chapel by a covered cloister was the Student Center, called Canterbury House at the time. Next to Canterbury House was the chaplain's home.
In June 1953, the Rev. George Murray was consecrated Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Alabama. He had served three years as the Chaplain to the Episcopal Students at Foster House, led the way in the construction of Canterbury Chapel, and served as Chaplain there for two years. In January 1954 the Rev. Emmet Gribbin was named Chaplain, and he and his family move into the Chaplain's house at Canterbury Chapel.
In August 1954, The Rt. Hon. Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, presented a signed portrait of himself to Canterbury Chapel. This presentation was made at the first Anglican Congress in Minneapolis. The portrait was presented to Bishop Murray and the Rev. Gribbin. The portrait was inscribed and signed in the traditional manner by Archbishop Fisher, by writing his Christian name and the Latin name for his Diocese of Canterbury. The inscription read: "To Canterbury Chapel with my blessing. Geoffrey Cantuar." The Archbishop received two pictures of the Chapel, an exterior view and a picture of the altar.
On April 17, 1955, Canterbury Chapel put on a production of medieval Resurrection plays. Canterbury's production was the third such production in America. The Canterbury Chapel choir sung in Latin to medieval plainsong. The costumes were church vestments in use at the time the plays were first presented. The plays ranged from the 9th to the 15th century. Each play was named for the place where it was preserved: St. Gall, Limoges, Winchester, Madrid, Klosterneuberg, and Rouen. The plays related incidents from the Biblical accounts of the morning of the Resurrection. The musical director was Frederick B. Hyde, and the acting director was Harrison Lee.
In 1956, the large frame house and lot and half the driveway going through the block just north of the Chapel was purchased by the Diocese for $25,000. A quarter of this amount was given by Mr. Frank Spain of Birmingham, $5,000 from the United Thank Offering, and the rest by the faculty and staff people who were members of the Chapel. The house was leased until 1960.
