History
The construction period of Wat Khun Saen is unknown as there are no records regarding its establishment. The monastery existed very likely before the reign of King Maha Thammaracha of Ayutthaya (1569-1590 CE), as it appeared in the chronicles. (1) The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya mention that a group of Mon settled at Wat Khun Saen. In 1584 CE, the King of Hongsa, Nanda Bayin (reign 1581-1587 CE) and the ruler of Ava, his suzerain, had differences. Bayin, fearing Prince Naresuan, the ruler of Phitsanulok, wanted to make away with him. Using the feud with Ava, he requested the help of Naresuan in defeating Ava. Naresuan left Phitsanulok for Khraeng (2) over Chiang Thong (3). Arriving at the Mon City of Khraeng, he encamped his troops near the monastery of the Maha Thera Khan Chòng. King Bayin instructed Phraya Kiat and Phraya Ram to make a flanking attack on Naresuan's troops from the rear as they went up to Ava and had to make sure that King Naresuan was seized and executed. They informed Maha Thera Khan Chong of their instructions. Maha Thera Khan Chong advised on his turn Prince Naresuan of Bayin's plans. Naresuan withdrew over Kan Buri, taking the important monk and the two army leaders with their army and families to Ayutthaya. King Maha Thammaracha of Ayutthaya installed Maha Thera Khan Chong as the new Patriarch of Wat Maha That and his relatives at the village behind Wat Nok. Phraya Kiat and Phraya Phra Ram were to reside in the vicinity of Khamin Village (4) near the Khun Saen Monastery with all the Mon families who had followed them.
When the Royal Father and King Naresuan had finished making their plans together, the King was pleased to have the great holy Thera Khan Chòng located at Maha That Monastery [F: as His Holiness Ariyawong, abbot of the Village Dwelling Sect residing at Phra Si Rattana Maha That Warawihan Royal Monastery,] and bestowed on him a sappathon umbrella, a kanching umbrella, a palanquin, bearers, rice, an annual bounty, and the various eight requisites of a Buddhist monk. [F: Now, the King was pleased to have the position of His Holiness Wannarat, the original Patriarch of the Village Dwelling Sect, administer only the Assembly of the South as the Division of the Right the separation of the Village Dwelling Sect into two assemblies originated at that time and has continued right down to the present.] On Phraya Kiat and Phraya Phra Ram the King bestowed gold trays of rank, gold lotus water-goblets, swords inlaid with gold, silver coins, clothing, and utensils and comestibles in great amounts. The Mon families which had been transported on down were also granted to Phraya Kiat and Phraya Phra Ram to supervise and administer. Then Phraya Kiat and Phraya Phra Ram were directed to reside in the vicinity of Khamin Village and Khun Saen Monastery. [2]
In more recent times, King Mongkut or Rama IV (reign 1851-1868 CE) ordered the restoration of Wat Khun Saen by enlarging the original central bell-shaped chedi and building an ordination hall and a ‘Sala Thong’ (pavilion). He also commanded a small canal dug around the temple, cutting through the city wall in two locations and connecting with the old Lopburi River, present Khlong Mueang. However, the King died before the project was finished. As a result, the restoration of Wat Khun Saen was permanently halted, and the monastery has remained in this situation since. [3]
In the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, reign 1868-1910 CE), the Monthon Krung Kao was established in 1893 CE. The Governor of Ayutthaya, Phraya Chai Wichit Sitthi Satra Maha Pathesathibodi, ordered a road made around the city (U Thong Road) in 1895 CE and the canals around Wat Khun Saen were filled up. (5) After the restoration works were halted, people build houses in the area of Wat Khun Saen, even over the foundation of the ancient site.
In 1941 CE, the Fine Arts Department announced the registration of Wat Khun Saen as a national historic site with publishing in the Government Gazette, Volume 58, Part 16, dated 18 March 1941. In 1994 CE, the Fine Arts Department conducted a survey and started a restoration, which was completed in 1996 CE. The houses on the temple site were removed, making the foundations of the monastic structures and the outer wall appear. Another excavation took place in 2005 CE, and the site was again restored after the great flood of Ayutthaya in 2011 CE.