Time travel isn't just the perogative of Doctor Who. On Sunday, we turned the clock back over one hundred years for the village's annual Victorian Market. And there wasn't a Tardis or a sonic screwdriver in sight.
The RSPB was founded in 1889. But Bempton can lay claim to have been in on act even earlier than that. It was a local vicar, the Reverant Barnes Lawrence, who set up a campaign to stop the wholesale slaughter of sebirds along this stretch of coast that led to the Seabird Protection Act of 1869. This in turn became the catalyst for the foundation of the RSPB that we know today.
We're rightly proud of our place in the RSPB's history and we're just as proud of the heritage surrounding the cliffs - in which 'climmers' played a significant part. These were village folk who abseiled down the 400 feet high cliffs in search of seabird eggs. This precious cargo would then be sold to collectors or, more often, to villagers to feed their growing families. So it was traditional climming gear that the RSPB team chose to wear, alongside other stall holders who decked themselves out in Victorian finery, to add to the atmosphere of the day.
Manning the RSPB stall (and manfully growing whiskers specially for the occasion) were visitor services manager, Scott Smith, and membership development officer, Chris Pye. They joined forces with the exotically dressed team from the Spa, Bridlington and organiser Richard Burton, to give a real Yorkshire welcome to the crowds.
Other highlights included an appearance by the celebrated Bempton Cliffs' Puffknits. A prize draw for three of these Facebook favourites raised £83 - even Santa wanted to meet them.
The ladies from the Village Hall committee raised money for their new building with a prize-packed tombola.
The pipes of The Children of the Mist rang out on Cliff Lane.
Friends, volunteers and folk who bought RSPB gifts entered into the spirit of the day.
And right at the heart of it all, the RSPB stall gave the team the chance to talk to old friends and make new ones. Roll on next year's market.