Eleven archaeologists and parishioners found more than they bargained for at a dig in the St. Mark's Church graveyard on Saturday.

The excavation, which lasted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., revealed remanants of the church's two older structures.

St. Mark's was originally built in a plot of land across the street from its present position in the mid 1600s and was rebuilt at the same spot after 1712.

It was not until the church fell down during a renovation that it was rebuilt on the other side of South Shore Road.

The modern day archaeologists, hoping to unearth new secrets as part of the church's 150th anniversary, hoped to find the footings of the second structure.

But they ended up finding walls from both churches.

Organiser Colin Campbell explained that the volunteers -- including Maritime Museum curator Dr. Edward Harris -- found a series of walls from the original building when they located the south wall and south porch of the second church.

The walls date back to the early 1600s, making them part of one of Bermuda's oldest structures.

Mr. Campbell said: "The dig was more than successful. It was a huge find for both Bermuda and St. Mark's Church.

"It is especially fulfilling as it is St. Mark's 150th anniversary.

"It is a special reminder of the continuum of time and the part we play in it.'' Professor Norman Barka, an archaeologist from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, attended the dig with two of his students.