“Secret Carvings in Hereford All Saints Church: Revealing the Hidden History”

For years the congregation has come and gone to Hereford All Saints Church, which was begun sometime in the 13th century.

Probably few – or no one – knew about the secret that hides under the high ceiling.

Kicking with the legs

The detailed wood relief first became visible to guests in the late 1990s.

The local newspaper writes Hereford Times.

Then a cafe was opened with an accompanying sitting gallery in the church, which meant that you could get close enough to see the details of the carving:

A naked man who spreads his legs to show off his undercarriage.

– The figure, which was probably made in the 15th century, perhaps by a disgruntled carpenter, is still visible to the cafe’s customers. Many may not be aware that it is there, barely two meters above their heads, writes the newspaper.

– Just as childish

In 2021, pictures of the carvings went viral online, and people could hardly believe that it was right that such an explicit figure existed in a church.

Anita (66) has a royal crush

However, the fact-finding website Snopes.com was able to confirm this:

– In the 14th century, people could be as childish as they are today, they write.

Snopes.com confirms that the photograph was taken at Hereford All Saints Church. They write that the figure was probably made during the construction of the church.

According to Britain Express the church was begun already in the year 1200. When the first building was damaged, probably from an earthquake, it had to be rebuilt.

The church was completed around 1330, i.e. 693 years ago.

Astronaut i kirke

This is far from the only rough carving to be found in a church in Herefordshire. In the church in Kilpeck there is a stone relief of a so-called sheela na gig – a woman showing off her genitals.

Clothing is prohibited here

In 2009 there were rumors that an astronaut had been carved into the wooden walls of a church in Spain that was built in the 12th century.

And Snopes.com investigated the case further, it turned out that the astronaut had been cut out during renovations in the 90s.