Mrs Eileen Castle graduated from Bedford College, University of London in 1959 and proceeded to a postgraduate Certificate of Education at Birmingham University. She achieved an MA in the Philosophy of Education and dedicated much of her life promoting historical knowledge and enquiry, encouraging enthusiasm and excitement in the learning of history. Eileen Castle set up various archive courses in Coventry Record Office which were supported by Warwick University Open Studies Department. She was a guest lecturer at the University of Warwick in the postgraduate education department and in the undergraduate history department, demonstrating the use of historical documents.

As Advisory Teacher for History and Archive Education in the city of Coventry she supported and researched various civic projects. Mrs Castle enabled a broad spectrum of the community to access the historical process from infant school children through to Ph.D. students, pioneering the use of local archive documents in teaching history. She demonstrated the richness and diversity of the Coventry Archives and in a project supported by English Heritage she brought to life characters from Elizabeth I's visit to Kenilworth Castle in 1575. She co-ordinated various living history projects with schools from Coventry and Warwickshire, involving specialist groups to create authenticity and atmosphere, and staff at the record office were more than a little surprised when individual children turned up with questions long after the events.

Mrs Castle did not allow teachers to be phased by the introduction of the National Curriculum for History, but helped all to navigate through it in all key stages and for all abilities. Mrs Castle's academic rigour combined with enthusiastic approaches for studying history opened up history for all. She encouraged enquiry-led approaches and advocated the use of local resources to tie in with the bigger picture, as is evidenced by her setting up a history group in the village of Barby where she lived for some years.

Mrs Castle had been a highly-regarded secretary of the Historical Association Coventry Branch for many years, organising outings and socials and the local branch newsletter. Her contribution to both history and the Historical Association was recognised in 2006 when she was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the association, at The Banqueting Hall, London, along with 23 professors of history and Lady Antonia Fraser.

In the final year of her life she was particularly delighted when her great-nephew graduated in history at Oxford University.