Withern is first recorded as Widerne in 1086 which derives from the Old Norse 'widu' meaning a wood and the Old English 'oern' meaning a house. {1} The Domesday Book records that part of Withern is owned by Earl Hugh as part of his Greetham estate. The record is combined with Aby and Haugh and Calceby. In addition, there is 4 carucates of land owned by Gilbert de Gand as soke to Claxby St Andrew. A further carucate is owned by Hugh son of Baldric. There is at least a population of 44 as well as a priest, a church and a mill. Lindsey survey of 1115 records that Earl Richard owns 1 carucate and 4 bovates in the hundred of Withern and Stain. {2} In the 1334 Lay subsidy Withern and Stain paid £5 0s 0d which is higher than the average for Calcewith wapentake, which implies that it was wealthier than the average parish. {3} The amount of tax payers in 1377 is not given. {4} In 1563 the population is not given. {5} In the early 18th century, the population of Withern was 53 families, falling to 45 families. {6} In 1801 the population of Withern with Stain parish was 295 rising to 528 in 1861 and falling again to 403 in 1901. {7} Earthworks and cropmarks were observed on aerial photographs as part of the national mapping programme. These included crofts PRN 46352a - l, centred on (TF 4379 8271); a mound PRN 46352m (TF 4441 8300); tofts PRN 46352n -p (TF 4432 8295) (TF 4437 8288) (TF 4348 8257) ; boundary PRN 46352q (TF 4299 8225) and enclosure PRN 46352r (TF 4441 8295). {8} The remains of Castle Hill; a moated site with Civil War earthworks PRN 43555 (SAM 31634) is at (TF 4272 8213).