Rugby Chapel, Saskatoon

Rugby Chapel is a cherished municipal heritage site located on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Built in 1912 with funds raised by students of the prestigious Rugby School in England, the chapel was intended to serve Emmanuel College-the Anglican theological college that had moved from Prince Albert to Saskatoon just a few years earlier. Until 1966, when Saint Chad’s Chapel was opened, Rugby Chapel was the main place of worship for the college, and it continues to be used today for education, worship, and community reflection.

Architecturally, Rugby Chapel is a wooden interpretation of a traditional English stone church, showcasing the Gothic Revival style with tracery windows, exposed rafters, and a distinctive Norman tower above its porch. Though modest in scale-a single-story, wood-framed building-it carries deep symbolic significance. It reflects the strong influence of the Anglican Church and British culture on the early development of Western Canada, particularly in the realm of education and religious life.

Rugby Chapel also stands out as one of the few remaining wooden Anglican chapels in Saskatoon and one of the last wooden structures on the university grounds. Its original character has been carefully preserved both inside and out, and it now houses a growing collection of religious artifacts linked to Canada’s Anglican tradition. With its stained glass documented by the Institute for Stained Glass in Canada and its enduring presence on College Drive, Rugby Chapel remains a quiet but powerful emblem of faith, education, and heritage in Saskatchewan.