Architecture
Wat Worachettharam consists of three sermon halls, an ordination hall, the main chedi and some satellite chedis. As mentioned earlier, the monastery was surrounded by a moat, which Khlong Fang fed. The monastic structures were situated within an outer wall.
The primary feature is a restored large bell-shaped chedi of Sri Lankan style on a square platform. The square harmika is surmounted by a nearly complete spire supported by a colonnade, typical for the Ayutthaya style. The platform can be accessed by stairs in the north and the south.
The main sermon hall stands east of the chedi, but only the restored foundations of the platform, walls and pillars are left. On the altar's location sits a large Buddha image in the Subduing Mara posture.
To the north stands the ordination hall or ubosot. The foundations of the boundary stones are still visible. The building has still its walls intact but is roofless. The gable shows evidence of once having been decorated with stucco and porcelain pottery. In this hall also sits a large Buddha image in the Subduing Mara posture. A gallery of fragmented Buddha images can be seen on a small platform along the walls. Behind the ubosot to the west stood a small chedi, but its foundations are not visible anymore today.
To the east of the ordination hall are the foundations of another unknown building and an unidentified square brick structure that could be the remnants of a bell or drum tower.
Another prayer hall or vihara stood north of the ubosot, but only the restored foundations are visible.
A third vihara stood in the northeast corner of the premises, close to the outer wall. Here again, we find only the restored foundations of the building. East of this vihara stands two small chedis with indented corners on a rectangular platform. Only the foundations remain.
Two temples bear the name Worachet. The other monastery called Wat Worachet, is situated west of the city island in Thung Phra Chet.
Wat Worachettharam is not drawn on Kaempfer’s map, though we can find the two other temples in its vicinity, Wat Rakhang and Wat Lokaya Sutha, on his map. Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716 CE) was a medical doctor working for the Dutch VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) and visited Ayutthaya in June 1690 CE. We can conclude that Kaempfer did not access the area behind both temples or the monastery was constructed post-1690 CE. I presume the first option is the right one.
Neither Jacques Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772 CE), a French cartographer, has Wat Worachettharam on his map ‘Plan De La Ville De Siam’, based on a Jesuit survey in 1687 CE and published as plate No. 4 in volume 9 of the 1752 CE French edition of Abbé Antoine François Prévost's l'Histoire Générale des Voyages.
The monastery is, for the first time, found on a mid-19th century map in an identical position as on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE. The mid-19th century map indicates the existence of a chedi. On the latter map, the monastery is called Wat Chettharam, while on PBR's map, it is called Wat Worachettharam. Phraya Boran Ratchathanin’s addition of the suffix ‘wora’ to the name of the temple ruin on the city island adds only to the confusion.
Footnotes
(1) Mueang Haeng is at present a subdistrict of Wiang Haeng District in Chiang Mai Province. The location believed to be King Naresuan's last encampment is in the vicinity of Wat Phra Borommathat Saen Hai in Saen Hai Sub-district and situated along the Mae Taeng River. The Shan people believe that King Naresuan died in the Shan town of Mongton while on his way to help Chao Kham Kai Noi, the Prince of Hsenwi, resist the Burmese. According to the Shan, the Thai king and the Shan prince died side by side on the battlefield. The Shan believe that King Naresuan was cremated and his ashes interred in a stupa in Mongton, in the southern part of the Shan State. The place of his death remains controversial. [4]
