| Country: | Scotland |
| Coordinates: | 55.5496°N -4.5625°W |
| Official Name: | Symington |
| Static Image: | Symington War Memorial.JPG |
| Static Image Width: | 200px |
| Static Image Caption: | The Symington War Memorial |
| Population Ref: | |
| Unitary Scotland: | South Ayrshire |
| Lieutenancy Scotland: | Ayrshire and Arran |
| Constituency Westminster: | Central Ayrshire |
| Constituency Scottish Parliament: | Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley |
| Constituency Scottish Parliament1: | South Scotland |
| Post Town: | KILMARNOCK |
| Postcode District: | KA1 |
| Postcode Area: | KA |
| Dial Code: | 01563 |
| Os Grid Reference: | NS384314 |
Symington is a conservation village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located in Symington parish, covering 0.41km2, and lies close to the A77 road from Ayr to Glasgow.[1] Its church, built in 1160, remains one of the finest examples of a Norman church in Scotland.[2] [3]
The name of the village and parish of Symington is derived from the person of a Norman Knight, Symon Loccard or Lockhart, who held the barony of Symington lands under Walter fitz Alan, the first Steward in 1165.[4] [5] [6] The barony title survives to this day as a Scottish Feudal Barony, held by the descendants of the Bennet Baronets of Grubet[7] (later called Marlfield[8]), a branch of which family also holds the Barony of Auchinleck.[9] The Lockharts of Barr in Galston were a branch of this family.[10] Two other villages in Scotland are named for Simon Lockhart: Symington, South Lanarkshire – located about from its Ayrshire counterpart and on almost the same latitude, though smaller in size – and Symington in the Scottish Borders. Stevenston in Ayrshire is named for Steven Loccard or Lockart.
Symington has a primary school, church, a restaurant, War Memorial,[11] an abandoned water tower and a library. The parish covers 3736acres and is mainly a farming community.
The parish church was founded in the 12th century by Simon Loccard and is the oldest functioning church in Ayrshire.[14] It belonged to the Trinitarian Monastery at Fail (just outside Tarbolton). The Church was restored in the 18th century and again in 1919. This restoration by P. MacGregor Chalmers[14] revealed that the earlier alterations of 1797[15] had covered up some fine architectural features, including the 13th century windows[16] and the open-work timber roof. Three windows with semi-circular heads are located in the gable, with heavy hood moulds and dog-tooth ornamentation, the finest of their style in Scotland.[14] The base slab of an aumbrey incorporating a piscina sits as the sill of a south-facing window.[14] The church received an addition and alterations in 1797 which increased the accommodation of the building, but detracted considerably from the unspoilt appearance. A belfry, possibly incorporating some medieval work, was erected on the east gable end in the 17th century.[17] Notable stained glass windows are on display, by Gordon Webster, Douglas Strachan, and others. The patronage of the church passed through several hands and was at length acquired by the Earl of Eglinton.[4] The old manse in Kerrix Road is now known as Symington House (NS 38350 31325).[16]
The Disruption of 1843 resulted in the establishment of a second church, now demolished, at the junction of Main Street and Symington Road.[16] The minister of the parish, George Orr, and his congregation "came out" and, for a time, worshipped in this vacant public house adapted for the purpose, whilst the minister lived in a rented room in a nearby farm house. The new Free Church and schoolhouse were built in February 1844.
The country seats were Coodham, with its well wooded grounds, sizeable ornamental lake, and once splendid gardens, 1abbr=offNaNabbr=off northeast; Dankeith, 1abbr=offNaNabbr=off north; Townend, NaNmiles west; and Rosemount, NaNabbr=offNaNabbr=off southwest.[18]
In 1850 James Ogilvie Fairlie of Coodham organised a meeting at the Red Lion in Prestwick of fifty-seven gentlemen from the West of Scotland, leading to the formation of the Prestwick Golf Club and as a direct result in 1860 the first Open Championship was held.[21]
John Kelso Hunter (1802–1873) was born at Gillhead Cottage, close to Symington cemetery, on the Dankeith Estate and was at first employed here during his indenture as a herd boy, his father being a gardener. John moved to the village of Dundonald and became a respected artist, noted for portraiture. In 1847 he exhibited at the Royal Academy in London before becoming a regular exhibitor at the Royal Scottish Academy for the next 25 years. Hunter published two books: ‘Retrospective of an Artist’s Life’ (1868), and ‘Life Studies of Character’. He is buried in the Southern Necropolis in Glasgow.[26]
In 1932 Dankeith was fire damaged, but restored. In WW2 it was used by the RAF and secret planning meetings for D-day and other allied operations took place here.[27] In 1948 the Roman Catholic Passionist Fathers acquired the property as a retreat, however they sold the property circa 1968 and the site is now a leisure centre, with caravans surrounding the house.[16]
In 1882–4, Francis Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Symington thus:
Symington, a village and a parish in the NW of Kyle district, Ayrshire. The village stands 3½ miles NNE of Monkton station, and 6 SSW of Kilmarnock, under which it has a post office.The parish is bounded NE by Riccarton, E by Craigie, S and SW by Monkton, and W and NW by Dundonald. Its utmost length, from NNE to SSW, is 43/8 miles; its breadth varies between 1 and 2¼ miles; and its area is 3736½ acres, of which 11½ are water. In the extreme S the surface declines to close on 100 feet above sea-level; and thence it rises gently to a maximum altitude of 333 feet at a point 21/3 furlongs NNE of the church, from which it sinks again to 201 feet near the Riccarton border. It thus exhibits a pleasing diversity of swells and slopes, and contains many vantage-grounds commanding extensive views of great part of Ayrshire, the Firth of Clyde, and the Isle of Arran. Trap rock has been quarried for road metal, and sandstone for building; whilst limestone and coal exist, but not under profitable conditions. The soil, in general, is of a clayey character., on a hard subsoil. Nearly all the land, except about 300 acres under wood, is regularly or occasionally in tillage. The principal residences are Coodham, Dankeith, Rosemount, and Townend; and 5 proprietors hold each an annual value of £500 and upwards, 5 of between £100 and £500. Symington is in the presbytery of Ayr and the synod of Glasgow and Ayr; the living is worth £350. The parish church is an old building with Norman features, and, as entirely remodelled in 1880, contains 359 sittings. There is also a Free church; and the public school, with accommodation for 132 children, had (1884) an average attendance of 85, and a grant of £69, 16s. Valuation (1860) £6560, (1885) £7104, 5s. 3d. Pop. (1801) 668, (1841) 918, (1861) 855, (1871) 792, (1881) 697.—Ord. Sur., shs. 22, 14, 1865-63.[31]
A Law or Moot Hill once stood at the foot of the village and upon its removal some iron arrow-heads and horn combs were found.[32] Helenton Moot Hill may have been a fortified site at one time[6] and the Helenton Loch with its associated mill were nearby.
On the boundary of Dundonald and Symington parishes lies an area known as the 'Slough of Despond'. The original Slough of Despond is a deep bog in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrim's Progress into which the character Christian sinks under the weight of his sins and his sense of guilt for them.
The burn in this area, rising near the old Broadhirst Farm, has long been known as the Slough, the Scots equivalent spelling is Sleugh, meaning a marsh or quagmire. It is not known how the name 'Slough of Despond' was added to the area, however it is recorded since the mid 19th century and may be linked to the nearby limekilns that were generally notorious for the acrid 'hell-like' smoke that issued from them.
The Slough Burn still rises from the marshy area below the Broadhirst Woods, however the limestone quarry that served the limekilns is now abandoned, surviving as an area rich in wildlife, containing old woodland indicator plants such as Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) and other species. The Slough Burn runs down past Dankeith House, Templeton and Fortacres, Todrigs and Caprington, to join the River Irvine near Gatehead.
Freestone and whinstone are the underlying rocks and the church itself stands on an elevated outcrop.[33]
The parish covered 3725 acres and had a population of 697 in 1881.[33]