It was first mentioned in 1305 as Beerse, and means "fenced off hunting area".

[6] Bears is a terp (artificial living hill) village.

The Protestant church of Bears dates from the 13th century.

The estate was demolished in 1756, and only the gate house has remained.

A steel framed replica of the estate was built in the 1990, and has an observation tower in the middle to view the landscape.