Wat Noi Wang Lang, or the Little Monastery of the Rear Palace, was located on Ayutthaya’s city island in the western area, in the Pratu Chai sub-district. The monastery lay south of Wang Lang (1) and was part of it. Wat Kasattra stood on the opposite bank of the Lopburi River (at present, the Chao Phraya River after its deviation to Ayutthaya in the mid-19th century).
In 2012 CE, the Fine Arts Department excavated the area and found evidence of a temple area dating to the Ayutthaya era. Although much farther east than PBR's map indicates, the site is believed to be Wat Noi, a temple in the former palace area. During the excavations, they found evidence of the temple's outer wall, pieces of sandstone and bronze Buddha images, the foundations of a chedi, and the pedestal of boundary stones (Bai Sema).
Maps
Although I am not sure, Wat Noi Wang Lang may appear on Kaempfer’s draft map. Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716 CE) was a medical doctor who worked for the Dutch VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) and surveyed Ayutthaya in June 1690 CE. The map indicates a structure at the southeast corner of the Rear Palace premises, but it is difficult to identify.
Also, Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772 CE) shows Wat Noi in the southeast corner of the Rear Palace premises on his map ‘Plan De La Ville De Siam’ published in Antoine François Prévost’s Histoire générale des voyages, Tome IX. La Haye: P. de Hondt, 1749. He was one of the most important cartographers of the 18th century a hydrographer and 'ingénieur hydrographe' at the French 'Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine'. The Rear Palace is here named "C: Pagode ou le Roi de Siam regnant alors avoit été élevé" meaning "Pagoda where the then reigning King of Siam had been raised", referring to King Narai (reign 1656-1688 CE).
The site is indicated on a 19th-century map drafted by an unknown surveyor. Wat Noi Wang lang is situated south of Wat Suan Luang and in front of the boat landing called Tha Ratcha Wang Lang. The map indicates the existence of two chedis.
The temple appears on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE as Wat Noi and seems to be part of the Rear Palace. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 to 1929 CE.
Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.
The site is at the geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 57.31" N, 100° 32' 53.29" E.
Footnotes:
(1) Wang Lang, or the Rear Palace, is a defunct palace of the Ayutthaya era, earlier situated on the premises where now the Fine Arts Department (FAD) - Region 3 is located, adjacent to Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai, part of Wat Suan Luang. In the 20th century, the area was a liquor distillery.
