The structure had four standing Buddha images twice the height of the present ones. Thechedi was rebuilt in a Burmese-style at the beginning of last century. Below is the inscription in front of the old chedi at Wat Phra Yuen. Reference to dates are recorded both in the Buddhist Era (B.E.) and Christian Era (A.D. – B.E. + 543 years).
This Wat Phra Yuen is believed to be the former Wat Aranyikaram built by Queen Chamathewi in 1209 B.E. (666 A.D.). Subsequently, in 1606 B.E. (1063 A.D.), King Arthitayaraj ordered to cast a standing bronze Buddha image to be established at the rear of the viharn together with changing the name of this temple to Wat Phuttharam.
In 1913 B.E. (1370 A.D.), in the reign of Phaya Kue Na, the King of Chiang Mai invited Phra Sumonthera from Sukhothai to promote Buddhism in Lanna region and to reside at the temple for two years. During the time, he built a Mondop to cover the old Buddha image and cast three more standing Buddha images to be contained in niches in another three directions which altogether implying four of the Past Buddhas named Kukusandha, Konagamana, Kassapa and Gautama. Afterwards, in about the 22nd Century (the 17thcentury A.D.), the Wat Phra Yuen community had been deserted because of the Thai – Burmese war, until the year 2443 B.E. (1900 A.D.), Chao Inthayongyotchot then built a Pagan-style chedi to keep the four ruined Buddha images inside. According to the words of Phra Mongkhonyannamuni, the dean monk of Lamphun Province and the abbot of Wat Phra Yuen at that time, the new chedi was built in the same size of the old one, but the newly built base of the four cardinal Buddha images height was only at the same level of the old Buddha image’s navel.
The excavation of Wat Phra Yuen in 2005 found that the ancient monument was constructed overlapping of two periods. The special features are the line of boundary parapet and monk’s chamber base of Hariphunchai period, Sukhothai-style chedi base, the vihara and base of the scripture repository of the Lanna period with brick walkway assumed to be the Royal passage of Phaya Kue Na according to the evidence of the inscription on the stone tablet of Wat Phra Yuen inscribed in 1913 B.E. (1370 A.D.) which still stored in the temple until now. In addition, more than 500 pieces of Buddha images and amulets, and terracotta sculptures were found.