Wat Ro is located off the main island in the southeast area of Ayutthaya, in the Khlong Suan Phlu Sub-district. The monastery stood north of Wat Khok and the Dutch Settlement and west of Wat Phanan Choeng. "Ro" means "wait" or "embankment".
The temple likely received its name due to its location near a boat landing people near this temple waited for the boat to cross to the city island. This landing was one of the six landings on the southern side of Ayutthaya and connected the Dutch Island (1) with Hua Sarapha (2).
The monastery was beside Wat Phanan Choeng but separated by a tiny canal. Today, the site has since been annexed by Wat Phanan Choeng, which has seriously expanded.
There are no visible traces of Wat Ro at ground level, as the location now houses several monastic buildings.
Its establishment and history are not known.
Wat Ro is shown on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's 1926 CE map. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 to 1929 CE but occupied important functions since 1896 CE in Monthon Ayutthaya.
The monastery figures on Fine Arts Department maps since 1957 CE.
The site was in geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 38.13" N, 100° 34' 38.41" E.
Footnotes:
(1) Ko Wilanda, or the Dutch Island, was formed by the old Lopburi River (running around Ayutthaya in the Ayutthaya era) on its north and western sides and Khlong Suan Phlu on its eastern and southern sides. On the same island, located in the present Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district, were situated Wat Phanan Choeng, some smaller temples and the English settlement.
(2) Hua Sarapha is the southeastern point of Ayutthaya's city island opposite Wat Phanan Choeng. Today, it is situated at the confluence of the Pa Sak River and the Chao Phraya River. Still, in the Ayutthaya era, it was at the junction of two branches of the Lopburi River, as the Lopburi River arriving at Hua Ro, encircled the city. Hua Sarapha was known as the harbour area. A space between Pom Phet and Pom Ho Ratcha Khrue defines more or less Hua Sarapha.
