Wat Jan is a defunct temple located on Ayutthaya’s city island outside the Historical Park in the Ho Rattanachai Sub-district.
The monastery was situated between Wat Rong Ma (aka Wat Khok Ma) and Wat Pho Ngam along the old eastern city wall and the front city canal.
Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.
Wat Jan on the maps
Wat Jan shows on Kaempfer’s sketch. Engelbert 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. He indicates the temple at 315 paces from the Si Saek Bridge and 300 paces from the city gate.
Jacques Nicolas Bellin does not mention this temple. (1)
The site is mentioned on a 19th-century map by an unknown surveyor. The temple sits between Wat Khok Ma and Wat Pho Ngam near Pratu Jao Jan, a land gate. (2) Wat Jan is depicted with a chedi.
The temple is not mentioned on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 till 1929 CE but occupied important functions since 1896 CE in Monthon Ayutthaya.
The site must have been in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 29.99" N, 100° 34' 38.03" E.
Footnotes:
(1) Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772 CE) was one of the most important cartographers of the 18th century. He was a hydrographer and 'ingénieur hydrographe' at the French 'Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine'. He made the map ‘Plan De La Ville De Siam’.
(2) Pratu Jao Jan was one of the eleven land gates around the city island. Phraya Boran Rachathanin was unsure whether the gate was at the end of Pa Thon Street or Pa Than Street. I believe the gate was named after Wat Jan and was likely at the end of Pa Than Street. It was forbidden to take corpses out at this gate.
