Lightning strikes posed a serious threat to historic buildings for centuries. Storms were a major cause of fires, with a single strike capable of igniting a thatched roof or wooden structure, and even stone buildings weren’t immune from this threat. The history books and folklore are peppered with stories of church towers collapsing after being struck by lightning, and tall stone-built structures, such as castles and palaces, faced the continual threat of structural damage from lightning. Such was the popular dread of lightning strikes that people composed prayers and incantations specifically to safeguard them from the threat.