 Though the garrison had held out within the keep , the rest of the castle had incurred severe damage , but no attempt was made to carry out repairs until the reign of Edward III ( 1327 – 1377 ) . It was noted in 1275 that the castle 's constables had not only failed to make any effort to repair the structure but had caused further damage : they stole stone from the castle for reuse elsewhere . In 1281 John of Cobham , the constable , was granted permission to pull down the castle 's hall and chambers which had been left as burnt @-@ out ruins after the 1264 siege . Numerous surveys in the following century bear testament to the castle 's sorry state and follow its steady decline . A survey from 1340 estimated that repairs would cost around £ 600 , however another conducted 23 years later stated that it would cost £ 3 @,@ 333 6s 8d . Natural weathering worsened the condition of the castle , and in 1362 a " great wind " damaged the structure . By 1369 few of the castle 's buildings still stood : the keep , gatehouses , a hall , kitchen , and stable were all that survived , and even then in a state of ruin . Although it too was in desperate need of repair , the keep was still in use and was the centre of the domestic life at the castle . 
