In the early 1600s, England was at peace with France and Spain and coastal defences received little attention.[24] Deal Castle was in a poor state of repair by 1615, the outer walls damaged by storms and coastal erosion and a 1616 survey suggested that repairs estimated at £396 were necessary.[25][lower-alpha 1] The problems persisted, with the winter storms filling the moat with water and stones from the beach and undermining the foundations.