At the heart of this little village kirk lies a Norman church, founded in 1160 by Symon Loccard (from whom the village and parish have derived the name ‘Symonstown’). Though substantially reconstructed in 1750, 1797, 1919 and 1950, traces of the ancient building can be seen in its nave, in the Norman arched windows, piscina and ancient oak-beamed ceiling.

The 1797 works saw the old Norman church extended to the north, to form a transept, with a gallery above and two galleries added to the east and west ends. The ‘restoration’ works in 1919 were overseen by eminent Scottish architect Peter MacGregor Chalmers and carried out as a memorial for the local fallen of the recent Great War. In an attempt to reveal what he regarded as a more authentic Norman interior, Chalmers decided to strip out many of the 18th and 19th century century “modern excrescences” from the building, including the east and west galleries and all plaster from the interior walls and ceilings. In doing so, he also exposed the central Norman arch and repaired it and the three small windows in the east gable, that had been hidden by a gallery.

In 1950, these works to take the building back in time continued with the the removal of the 18th century pews and communion table from the chancel and their replacement with a Normanesque carved Blaxter Stone table and set of elders’ stalls on either side. During these works, what were believed to be the remains of the Symon Loccard were discovered beneath the chancel. These were reburied, along with the ashes of Rev John Gage Boyd, minister of the church during the 1919 refurbishment, under the stone floor, beneath two simple inscribed crosses. Many of the church’s magnificent stained glass windows are by one of Scotland’s most celebrated stained glass artists, Douglas Strachan.

Symington Parish Church was linked with Craigie Parish Church for many years and the two were formally united in 2014 and Craigie was closed, its name transferring along with its congregation to the renamed Symington building. In 2015, Craigie Symington was linked with Prestwick South Parish Church.