Tradespeople in Symington, South Ayrshire

Symington is a small conservation village in South Ayrshire, lying about four miles north-east of Ayr and a similar distance from both Prestwick and Troon. It sits in open agricultural land with views across the Firth of Clyde and is one of the most architecturally intact villages in the region.

The village takes its name from Simon Loccard, a Norman knight who held the barony of Symington under Walter fitz Alan, the first Steward of Scotland, around 1165. Simon founded the parish church and the building that stands today - substantially 12th-century in origin - is considered one of the finest Norman churches in Scotland. Its semi-circular-headed windows with dog-tooth ornamentation are among the best examples of Romanesque detailing in the country and the church remains in regular use, making it the oldest functioning church in Ayrshire.

The village has a conservation area designation that reflects the quality and coherence of its historic streetscape. It is a peaceful settlement with a strong sense of community, popular with families who want a rural setting within easy reach of the coast and the rail network at Prestwick or Ayr.

The surrounding farmland forms part of the broad coastal plain between the Firth of Clyde and the Carrick hills, fertile and well-cultivated. The village is accessible by road from Ayr and Prestwick and is close to the A77 trunk road.

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South Ayrshire is a council area in south-west Scotland, stretching from the coast at Troon south along the Firth of Clyde to Girvan and Ballantrae and inland across the hills of Carrick to the fringes of Galloway.

Ayr is the administrative centre and largest town, a traditional county town on the River Ayr with a long sandy beach, a racecourse and a busy high street. Prestwick, immediately to the north, is home to Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon is known for its championship golf links and harbour, while Girvan and Maybole serve the quieter southern half of the area.

The area is closely associated with Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, who was born at Alloway on the outskirts of Ayr in 1759. Burns Cottage, the Burns Monument and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum make Alloway one of Scotland's most visited literary landmarks. The Burns connection extends across the wider area through the villages and farms he knew and wrote about.

South Ayrshire's coastline is one of its greatest assets. Long sandy beaches stretch from Troon to Ayr, the views across the Firth of Clyde take in Arran, Ailsa Craig and the Kintyre peninsula and the Carrick coast south of Girvan is rugged and dramatic. Inland, the landscape rises to rolling farmland and the moorland hills that border Dumfries and Galloway.

Transport links are strong along the coast. The A77 connects Ayr and Prestwick to Glasgow, the Ayrshire Coast railway line runs regular services to Glasgow Central and Glasgow Prestwick Airport provides flights to European destinations. The A77 continues south through Girvan toward Stranraer and the ferry port for Northern Ireland.