  A graph $\Gamma$ is said to be symmetric if its automorphism group $\rm
Aut(\Gamma)$ acts transitively on the arc set of $\Gamma$. In this paper, we
show that if $\Gamma$ is a finite connected heptavalent symmetric graph with
solvable stabilizer admitting a vertex-transitive non-abelian simple group $G$
of automorphisms, then either $G$ is normal in $\rm Aut(\Gamma)$, or $\rm
Aut(\Gamma)$ contains a non-abelian simple normal subgroup $T$ such that $G\leq
T$ and $(G,T)$ is explicitly given as one of $11$ possible exception pairs of
non-abelian simple groups. Furthermore, if $G$ is regular on the vertex set of
$\Gamma$ then the exception pair $(G,T)$ is one of $7$ possible pairs, and if
$G$ is arc-transitive then the exception pair $(G,T)=(A_{17},A_{18})$ or
$(A_{35},A_{36})$.

Combinatorics