Wat Borom Jakrawat is an unidentified old monastery located on Ayutthaya’s city island in the Pratu Chai Sub-district.
On a 1974 Fine Arts Department map, Wat Borom Jakrawat is indicated north and adjacent to Wat Borom Phuttharam on the west bank of Khlong Chakrai Noi (1). Wat Phra Ngam was situated just opposite the canal bank on its east.
Wat Borom Jakrawat is mentioned in the old document Khamhaikan Khun Luang Ha Wat. [1] A wooden bridge over Khlong Chakrai Noi, beside the Royal Goods Storehouse, called the Wat Jakrawat Bridge led to Wat Borom Jakrawat. Probably based on this old document, the site was mentioned on the 1974 Fine Arts Department [FAD] map (2).
On Engelbert Kaempfer's draft map, we find a bridge north of Wat Suan Luang Khangkhao below the storehouse and crossing the Chakrai Noi Canal to Wat Singharam. This bridge is believed to be the Wat Jakrawat Bridge. At the time of the visit of Kaempfer, Wat Borom Phuttharam was likely still in construction. (3) Kaempfer (1651-1716 CE) was a medical doctor working for the Dutch VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) who surveyed the city of Ayutthaya in June 1690 CE.
Based on the layout of Kaempfer's map and the text in the old document, Wat Borom Jakrawat, sometimes written Borom Jakkarawat, could have been an alternative name for Wat Singharam, opposite Wat Borom Phuttharam.
Footnotes:
(1) Khlong Chakrai Noi is a defunct canal of which some small stretches remain on the premises of the Rajaphat Institute, south of Rojana Road. The premises of the Sam Chao Phraya Museum also show a stretch of water, but here the old canal has been probably altered. Khlong Chakrai Noi had its mouth in the loop of the old Lopburi River around the city, a stretch that became the Chao Phraya River in the 19th century due to deviation works.
(2) Later FAD maps do not mention Wat Borom Jakrawat, which leads to the presumption that either there were no traces found in this location or that the area has never been surveyed nor excavated by archaeologists.
(3) King Phetracha (reign 1688-1703 CE) of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty ordered its construction in 1689 CE in an area of his home town, called Patong District. It took two years to complete its construction. It must as thus have been completed in 1691 CE.
References:
[1] Pongsripian, Vinai, Dr. (2007). Phanna phumisathan Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya: Ekasan jak Ho Luang. Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the palace. Bangkok: Usakane.
