The station opened on 1 March 1848 as part of the East Lincolnshire Railway between and. It was constructed by contractor John Waring and Sons of Rotherham who, in December 1846, had agreed to construct the line for the sum of £46,102. The architects of the station buildings were John Grey Weightman and Matthew Ellison Hadfield of Sheffield. The station was initially named Holton-le-Clay and Tetney to reflect its location one mile to the south of the Lincolnshire village of Holton-le-Clay and slightly closer to Tetney to the east. It consisted of staggered platforms either side of the level crossing over the Tetney road; the down platform to the north and the up to the south. A signal box constructed in the standard East Lincolnshire Railway pattern stood on the north side of the crossing. It controlled the crossing and a small goods yard situated to the south of the crossing on the down side. The yard was served by a single siding which trailed off the down line to end in cattle dock. The station house, built in the same style as those provided at and, stood in the north-eastern corner of the yard. Although the station was more convenient for Tetney than Holton-le-Clay, Tetney was dropped from the station's name soon after opening. The July 1922 timetable saw nine up and down weekday services, plus one Sunday service each way, call at Holton-le-Clay. The station closed to passengers on 4 July 1955, with the goods yard remaining open a further nine years until 25 May 1964.
Present day
The platforms have been demolished, but the stationhouse remains in private ownership. The crossing gates on both sides have also survived, as has the cattle dock which stands in the yard now used as an industrial vehicle depot. The former Up Home signal no.17 still stands in front of the foundations of the signal box. On 28 September 1991, the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway obtained a Light Railway Order authorising the reinstatement of the East Lincolnshire Railway between and the former Keddington Road level crossing near Louth, which would include the line up to Holton-le-Clay. On 26 August 2009, the first train between and ran for the first time in 47 years. It is planned to reopen the line as far as Holton-le-Clay.
