A woman was left wondering "do mine eyes deceive me?" when she spotted Shakespeare in her ceiling light.

Rebecca Manville noticed a strange shape at her home in Eastbourne after moving some furniture.

The 41-year-old knew she recognised something, but could not quite put her finger on the likeness.

She posted a photograph on Facebook and several people said it looked like the Bard.

The Argus: Rebecca spotted the bard in her ceiling lightRebecca spotted the bard in her ceiling light (Image: SWNS)

She said: "We have just had our lounge moved around.

"We used to sit on the other side of the room, so I didn’t notice it until recently.

"It was on the tip of my tongue. I could see the picture but couldn’t think of the name.

“Then I put it on Facebook - and people said it was Shakespeare.”

Rebecca, a consultant, says her husband thinks it looks like the playwright too.

Their home is an old farmhouse which was built centuries ago, shortly before the Bard was born.

The Argus: Shakespeare was born in 1564, just four years after Rebecca's house was builtShakespeare was born in 1564, just four years after Rebecca's house was built (Image: SWNS)

Rebecca said: “The old part of our house is from 1560, so the house was around when Shakespeare was alive.

"But the spotlight is in the newer part of the house."

Neither of the couple think it is a "plague on their house" but rather find it quite amusing.

The Argus: The ceiling light is a newer part of the centuries-old houseThe ceiling light is a newer part of the centuries-old house (Image: SWNS)

"I just thought it was interesting and a bit of fun really," said Rebecca.

"I am a Shakespeare fan and a theatre grad so for me it was quite interesting.

"It’s probably him getting revenge after all these years of us doing his plays. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is my favourite."


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It is not the first time famous faces have been spotted in inanimate objects, with memorable instances including a piece of toast which looked like Jesus.

A few years ago, Elvis was spotted in the heart of the British countryside - in the form of a tree.

The King of Rock and Roll’s familiar quiff was photographed by John Rowley who was driving in his car in Glewstone, Herefordshire.

The Argus: The tree looked like the King of Rock and RollThe tree looked like the King of Rock and Roll (Image: SWNS)

John said: “I was just driving along one day and it stuck out like a sore thumb.

'Elvis may be dead, but it's nice to know that he lives on in the heart of the British countryside.'