Engle was a contemporary at Charterhouse (where he was in Hodgsonites) of Gerald Priestland, William Rees-Mogg and Simon Raven.
[3] Before going up to Christ Church, Oxford to read Mods and Greats, Engle completed his National Service in the Royal Artillery.
Although he considered becoming an academic philosopher, he opted for the law, being called to the Bar in 1953 from Lincoln's Inn[4] and taking a post with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in 1957, drafting government bills.
Engle was also appointed Queen's Counsel in 1983,[8][9][10] and Bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1984.
[12] Engle was noted for a vast library, containing, alongside major works, very obscure books.