The remains of former Governor George Bruere have been reburied in a special ceremony attended by current Governor Sir Richard Gozney.

The skeletal remains of the man in charge of Bermuda during a significant moment in history were found last year after lying forgotten for 228 years beneath the floorboards of St. Peter's Church in St. George's.

The wood coffin that once encased Governor Bruere had disintegrated with the passing of the centuries.

However, a copper name plate inscribed with his details and originally attached to the top of his coffin was found resting in the chest cavity of his skeleton by archaeologists from Boston University.

It remains a mystery why the Governor was buried beneath the floor of the church without any memorial or record to mark his final resting place.

Among the theories put forward are that he may have been put there because he died of yellow fever.

Alternatively, he may have been afforded a proper burial but moved during renovations to St. Peter's at a later date.

Governor Bruere was in charge from 1764 until his death in 1780, and his stewardship of the Island coincided with the infamous gunpowder plot during the American Revolutionary War.

While many in Bermuda sided with the rebelling Americans, the Governor remained loyal to Britain.

In 1775, a group of local sympathisers with America stole 100 barrels of gunpowder from government supplies and shipped it to General Washington.

An indignant Governor Bruere was unsuccessful in his attempts to have the perpetrators bought to justice, despite putting up a reward for the capture of the Bermudians responsible.

Arguments and recriminations ran back and forth between Bruere and the House of Assembly, with the legislature finally launching a campaign in 1780 to have him recalled by Britain.

He responded by adjourning the House, and died later that year.

His family believed he was killed by the strain of dealing with his opponents.

Despite his reputation for being deeply unpopular, on Saturday Governor Bruere was nonetheless re-buried with all the pomp and ceremony befitting his position.

He was re-entombed next to Governor Alured Popple in the St. Peter's graveyard in a new coffin provided by the National Trust.

Around 150 people attended the ceremony, according to chairman of the Friends of St. Peter's, Dr. Erskine Simmons, who believes his bad reputation may not be entirely deserved.

"In some ways he was really a visionary because he was an abolitionist and let his views be known in the assembly. In my view he was the only Governor of that time who never had slaves," he said.

"We're pleased with the way the ceremony went. It was very well attended. His coffin was carried by members of the Bermuda Regiment who gave him pretty much full military honours."

Sir Richard, who read one of the lessons during the ceremony, told The Royal Gazette: "I think we were all struck by the difficulties of Bermuda as a whole during Bruere's tenure whether or not to side with the 13 rebellious colonies in North America and, if not, as was apparently the view, how to avoid an embargo on supplies to Bermuda."

The team of archaeologists from Boston are due to come back later this summer to see what other mysteries St. Peter's may be harbouring under its floors.

Sir Richard added: "The internment did bring out the excellent archeological work of St Peter's and the National Trust. They have more to do and are, in my view, worthy of our support."

Rector of St. Peter's Reverend David Raths said: " When we found him down there last year I said 'we can't just shove him back under there.

"He was a Governor and needs to be treated with respect.' Now he has his tomb. I think this has caught the imagination of a lot of people.

"The National Trust needs funding to carry on the work we know there are others down there."