Archaeologists this week began digging up a car park in St. George's to try to find the site of the first Governor's House in Bermuda.

The team from Bristol University in England say the house, built in the year Bermuda was first permanently settled, is the earliest Governor's mansion in the English New World and it could yield clues about early colonial life which are of international significance.

The house is believed to have been built in 1612 by the Island's first Governor, Richard Moore, near the site of the present Bank of Bermuda in St. George's and was demolished in the 1690's to make way for the second Governor's House which became the present Globe Hotel.

The dig has been organised by Bermuda National Trust and will also include an excavation of the site of the third Governor's House where the Unfinished Church now stands and nearby Aunt Nea's Inn.

“What we are talking about would be the earliest English “What we are talking about would be the earliest EnglishGovernor's House in the New World if we can find it. It is terribly important that it is not just Bermuda's heritage, but the heritage of the world we are talking about,” said Dr. Mark Horton, the head of Bristol University's Archaeological Department, who is heading up the excavation.

“It is a key site for both St. George's and the history of Bermuda. The first Governor's House is probably the first important building, along with St. Peter's Church, and they are really important buildings in the early history of the colony.”

Dr Horton's 11-strong team team carried out a similar dig in the Caribbean island of St. Kitts last year where they excavated the site of the first Governor's House from 1624 and unearthed parts of the original walls.

The archaeologists have dug a number of shallow trenches in the Bank of Bermuda car park to look for signs of the early wooden building such as foundation holes. They are hoping to uncover 17th century pottery, glass and other debris.

The dig is scheduled to continue until July 21 and local volunteers and schoolchildren are being invited to take part in an archaeological and a history camp organised by the National Trust.

Trust Archaeological research committee chairman Richard Lowry said yesterday: “This is the first major archaeological excavation in the town of St. George since World Heritage Status was granted in 2001.

“It is a great opportunity for us to investigate two high profile sites on which former governors' residences were built, and we hope to learn more about life in the 17th and early 18th century St. George's.

“In addition to the excavations, we really want to encourage the community to take an active interest in Bermudian archaeology.

“This is our history and we hope the community will take part in finding out more about how we used to live.

“You don't have to be a trained archaeologist to participate. Anyone can come along to unearth a little of our history, work alongside trained archaeologists and learn archaeological techniques.”

Trust Director Amanda Outerbridge thanked the Corporation of St. George for supporting the dig and Bank of Bermuda for allowing it to take place in its car park.