Sir John Temple took over as captain in 1615, being replaced by Robert Bacon by 1618. The fortification was now both antiquated and too far from the receding sea to be useful. In 1623 it was suggested that the castle should be closed, and King Charles I was briefed on the dilapidated condition of the fortification, which was now reportedly around from the sea. The local towns campaigned to keep the castle operational but in 1636 Charles issued an instruction to demolish it; the garrison, by now led by Captain Thomas Porter, left the next year, followed by the artillery.