Charles E. Hayworth Memorial Chapel

was the first place of worship on campus at High Point University. It was located on the east end of the building. In 1949, a chapel was set up on the second floor of Roberts Hall. The room was fitted with pews, an altar rail, and pulpit furniture. The chapel was named for Dr. Percy E. Lindley, who was, at the time, the head of the Department of Religion. Memorial Auditorium was completed in 1954, and it became the location of chapel assemblies and various other religious events.

was completed and occupied November 6, 1972. Charles E. Hayworth, Jr. provided funds for the construction and named it in honor of his father, whom he lost at a young age. Charles, Jr. and his wife Pauline also established a fund to maintain the facility and provide for all its equipment needs. In 1990, Charles and Pauline Hayworth established another special fund to provide ongoing support for the program and activity needs of the chapel. Charles E. Hayworth, Jr., was laid to his eternal rest on January 4, 1994. Portraits of both father and son are displayed in the vestibule of the chapel. The Hayworth family’s gifted vision for the future is the most important part of the legacy of the facility. David R. Hayworth, another son of Charles E. Hayworth, Sr., provided the funds for the latest chapel building expansion that bears his name.

destroyed two rooms of the sanctuary; the building was renovated at that time. A new M.P. Moller pipe organ was dedicated in 1990. A balcony was added in 1990. This increased seating capacity to 300. The David R. Hayworth building was completed in 1998. This added over 12,500 square feet of offices, classrooms, restrooms, and a lounge to the chapel. The furnishings for the lounge were given in honor of Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Parker of High Point. In 1999, the new vestibule with its 22-foot ceiling, Palladian window, Georgian porch, and 95-foot steeple was added. Adorning the steeple is a 7-foot combination French and Celtic cross donated by its designer and builder, Pete Howard, a former blacksmith. Constructed of stainless steel, the cross weighs 49 pounds. Greg Mercer of Mercer Architecture Incorporated, High Point, designed the 1998-1999 additions.