Withnell is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 3,631. Withnell is about 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Chorley itself and about 5 miles (8 km) from Blackburn. It constituted an urban district from 1894 to 1974. It was originally called 'Withinhull' around 1160, later appearing as 'Withinhulle' in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire, meaning 'a hill where willow trees grow'.