| WAT SANGKHAWAT (วัดสังฆวาล) |
Wat Sangkhawat is located in a very remote area southeast of the main island. This
ruin is surrounded by rice fields and framed by train tracks that pass close by it. A large
with the area around the Japanese village. Khlong Rong Wari also passed beside it
forming one portion of the moat.
This temple is mostly comprised of a large brick mound. However, there have been some
attempts to partially renovate this monastery. The central mound has been capped by a
thick layer of cement and a small shrine appears on top of this. At the eastern entrance of
the mound, a large sala has been constructed to house a Buddha image that is resting in
the Subduing Mara pose. This shrine includes various parts of other Buddha images.
There are also fragments of sema stones and geometric designs in stucco. Although
erosion has taken a heavy toll, there is evidence of some toppled boundary walls and the
crumbled remains of collapsed chedi.
There isn't must know about this monastery's history. Royal Chronicles do refer to the
"Monastery of the Sangkawat Tree". At the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Phraya Tak, who
would later become king, was appointed brigade master of a boat army set up to attack
the Burmese. The Burmese led their boat army onto open plains east of the main island.
The Phraya of Phetburi advanced forth to attack, but died on the battlefield near the
"Monastery of the Sangkhawat Tree". [1]
There has been some recent construction at this site. Bulldozers are plowing up the area,
and it looks like there have been attempts to drain part of its moat. This activity reveals
that Wat Sangkhawat was much larger than one might expect. A larger number of bricks
and pottery shards can be seen at a great distance from the central mound.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman & David K. Wyatt (2006)
- The Siam Society - page 512.
ruin is surrounded by rice fields and framed by train tracks that pass close by it. A large
with the area around the Japanese village. Khlong Rong Wari also passed beside it
forming one portion of the moat.
This temple is mostly comprised of a large brick mound. However, there have been some
attempts to partially renovate this monastery. The central mound has been capped by a
thick layer of cement and a small shrine appears on top of this. At the eastern entrance of
the mound, a large sala has been constructed to house a Buddha image that is resting in
the Subduing Mara pose. This shrine includes various parts of other Buddha images.
There are also fragments of sema stones and geometric designs in stucco. Although
erosion has taken a heavy toll, there is evidence of some toppled boundary walls and the
crumbled remains of collapsed chedi.
There isn't must know about this monastery's history. Royal Chronicles do refer to the
"Monastery of the Sangkawat Tree". At the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Phraya Tak, who
would later become king, was appointed brigade master of a boat army set up to attack
the Burmese. The Burmese led their boat army onto open plains east of the main island.
The Phraya of Phetburi advanced forth to attack, but died on the battlefield near the
"Monastery of the Sangkhawat Tree". [1]
There has been some recent construction at this site. Bulldozers are plowing up the area,
and it looks like there have been attempts to drain part of its moat. This activity reveals
that Wat Sangkhawat was much larger than one might expect. A larger number of bricks
and pottery shards can be seen at a great distance from the central mound.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman & David K. Wyatt (2006)
- The Siam Society - page 512.
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| Text & Buddha photograph by Ken May - April 2009 |
| (Click button for aerial view) |
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Addendum
Another historical fact in relation to this temple is given by Prince Damrong. The night the
Burmese entered the city of Ayutthaya on 07 April 1767, King Ekathat (1) was smuggled
out of the Grand Palace by his royal pages, put into a small boat and brought to Chik
Village near the Sangkhawat Monastery. There the pages, afraid to fall in the hands of the
Burmese, left him alone. After the retreat of the Burmese army, the rear guard discovered
him at the village. King Ekathat was out of food for more than ten days. The Burmese
brought him to the fortification at Pho Sam Ton, where he died shortly after. [1]
Footnotes:
(1) also called King Suriyamarin (r. 1758-1767).
References:
[1] Our Wars with the Burmese. - Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (1917) - White Lotus,
Bangkok (2000) - page 357.
Another historical fact in relation to this temple is given by Prince Damrong. The night the
Burmese entered the city of Ayutthaya on 07 April 1767, King Ekathat (1) was smuggled
out of the Grand Palace by his royal pages, put into a small boat and brought to Chik
Village near the Sangkhawat Monastery. There the pages, afraid to fall in the hands of the
Burmese, left him alone. After the retreat of the Burmese army, the rear guard discovered
him at the village. King Ekathat was out of food for more than ten days. The Burmese
brought him to the fortification at Pho Sam Ton, where he died shortly after. [1]
Footnotes:
(1) also called King Suriyamarin (r. 1758-1767).
References:
[1] Our Wars with the Burmese. - Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (1917) - White Lotus,
Bangkok (2000) - page 357.
| Addendum & photographs by tricky Vandenberg - April 2011 |
| (View of the area of Wat Sangkhawat) |
| (Buddha image in situ) |
| (Buddha image in situ) |
| (View of the mound) |