The Environs of Craigmillar. 195 



hall belonged to the St Clairs of Roslin, and came into 

 possession of the ancestors of the present laird about 

 1 64 1. The Trotters are an old family, dating back to 

 the reigns of Robert II. and Robert III. of Scotland. 

 The present branch is descended from Thomas Trotter, 

 proprietor of the estates of Foulshaw, Catchelraw, and 

 Kilnhill, in Berwickshire. The first Baron of Morton- 

 hall was John Trotter, who was a stanch loyalist 

 in the time of Charles II. He died in 1641, and was 

 succeeded by his eldest son, John, who was also a 

 steady loyalist, and was fined ^500 sterling for assist- 

 ing the Marquis of Montrose. After ten successive 

 barons, the second son of the last one was Richard 

 Trotter, who died in 1793, and was succeeded by his 

 grandson, Richard Trotter, father of the present 

 proprietor, Henry Trotter, Colonel of the Grenadier 

 Guards. 



The Balm Well. — At St Catherine's is still to 

 be seen the famous " Balm well," which in bygone 

 days of superstition was believed to possess a healing- 

 virtue for skin diseases. At the request of James VI. 

 the well was in 161 7 greatly adorned, a door and 



