In the parish is a house called "St. John's Manor". The name St. John's is common all around it. We have St. John's (townland), St. John's mills called after St. John's Priory. The old Priory was founded in 1233 by a Prendergast. It was suppressed in 1541. Portion of the old church has been used in the present "St John's Manor". The graveyard still exists. It is known as the "Carrig" - from Teampaill na Carraige (deartear). One of the bells of the monastery was taken to Davidstown & is the one in use in the present Church. A large oil painting came also from there. I (M.G. Brennan, teacher) saw that painting in the belfrey of this Church in 1914 & later. It seemed to be a crucifixion, but the original painting had been "daubed" over. It was later removed to an outhouse belonging to the Very Rvd. P. Canon O'Connor P.P. (died 1924). I think it finally disappeared after the auction of the late Canon's effects. I was told by Mrs Treacy, former teacher, who went to Canada in 1918 that it belonged to the old Church, partially burned in 1798 & the scorched edges of the picture & blisters were pointed out as evidence of this.
A tree stump at the gate of the graveyard is of great interest. When standing this tree is said to have covered the three townlands of Coolamurry, Ballygillistown and Davidstown. This gateway is built in the belfrey wall of the old church, still standing.Davidstown
The townland of Davidstown, 4 English miles S.W. of Enniscorthy, in the Barony of Bantry in the ancient parish of Rossdroit (now Davidstown) is almost in the centre of Co. Wexford. The first Church at Davidstown was built by Revd. Fr. Doyle of Grallach, Carrickbyrne. After the passing of the Catholic Relief Bill the landlord gave an acre of ground for

a Church and a cemetery.
It is claimed by residents that an After-Mass Meeting in July 1793 actually caused the first incident in the '98 Rebellion. The military in Enniscorthy got wind of the meeting, came out & arrested some of the leaders. These they brought to Enniscorthy bound as prisoners & immediately the people of the whole district rose and followed them, demanding their release, which was granted "for peace sake".
Of the tree, the stump of which stands at the graveyard gate, it was said that a man named O'Brien of Toberona was hanged from its branches. He was a student & was hanged as a reprisal for the killing of three informers in the near-by sandpit (now used by Mr. Edward Kavanagh, St. John's to manufacture tiles for roofing) by the insurgents. They found him praying in the Church late in the evening, hanged him & left two soldiers to guard the body which they left suspended from the bough. These soldiers went to the public house then at Moneyhore Cross (owned by Cloney's of whome Gen. Cloney of '98 was one). Two women of the neighbourhood cut down the body & had it buried in the graveyard. In this graveyard is buried too, a man who fought all through the rebellion of 1798 & returned [to] his home when all was over.
Davidstown Church is not on the list of burned churches of 1798, but it is said locally that a party of soldiers actually lighted a fire on the gallery, but after they had gone some distance, one of them, who was born a Catholic, returned & extinguished it. This is the scorched picture referred to, accounted for.
In 1820 For. Doyle died & was buried at Courthoyle near Carrickbyrne.