Carpenter's 800-year-old rude carving found hidden in church ceiling

Images of an 800-year-old carving have gone viral after the X-rated art was uncovered in a public church in England.

It is believed a carpenter hid the rude carving in a church roof, and it has now been discovered a whole 800 years later.

The carving had been hidden from the public until the church built a new cafe, exposing the funny piece of woodwork.

Church-goers at All Saints Church in Hereford were shocked when a photo of the man with his legs up exposing himself in the ceiling went viral.

Work reportedly began on the church roof around 1200AD and was completed around 1330.

It was not until a new gallery with a cafe was built in the church in the 1990s that the artwork was discovered.

The reclining nude man, nicknamed Seamus O'Toole, is believed to have been carved into the rafters in the 15th century.

The images made it onto Reddit where thousands of people commented, many pointing out the artwork is proof trolling is not a modern thing.

"He probably sat in the church, looking up at, knowing no one else knew it was there, tittering to himself," one person wrote.

"Words can't describe how much I love this," another one said.

"Never in a million years did the person who made this think thousands of people around the world would see it," someone else pointed out.