It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor.

Half a mile to the north of the present village lies the ruins of Beaurepaire Priory, built in 1258 by the Prior of Durham, Bertram de Middleton, as a retirement residence.

The building was extended in the subsequent three centuries, becoming a retreat for the Durham monks in a similar way to the nearby Finchale Priory.

Bearpark Community Centre is at the hub of the local village, a red brick building originally built in 1921 as a miners' welfare hall.

Bearpark featured on the BBC radio and television series Uncanny, citing the case of a Victorian boy haunting a house in the village.