Lying within the historic boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire, the village along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District has been administered with County Durham since 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.

The remnants of an Iron Age hillfort known as Cockshot Camp are located less than a mile west of the village.

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Ovington as:"a township in Forcett parish, N. R. Yorkshire; on the river Tees, at the boundary with Durham, 5 miles S E by E of Barnard-Castle.

A Gilbertine priory was founded here, by Alan de Wilton, in the time of King John; but has left no traces.

For the purposes of Durham County Council elections, Ovington is located in the Barnard Castle East ward.