The Arthur and Edward Colliery was also known as the Waterloo Colliery because it was said to have opened in 1815. However it is more likely it was named after the nearby Waterloo Mill.

It was located in Upper Lydbrook, just north of the A4136 Monmouth to Gloucester road. From about 1835 it was mined by Benjamin Gwilliam (a free miner from Joyford) and Thomas Butler, who sank two shafts down to the Coleford High Delf Seam. Around 1840 Thomas Butler, the majority shareholder, mortgaged his shares to John Ponsford Osborne, a merchant from Colchester, in Essex. The colliery recorded a yield of 3,259 tons of coal in 1846. The Arthur and Edward and Miery Stock Colliery Company was formed in December 1853 and, by 1856, 13,00 tons of coal was produced. However it has been suggested that the colliery had flooding issues and ceased operations in 1857. Certainly the company was wound up on 14th January 1859. There were numerous attempts to sell or auction the colliery without success.

Finally, in 1889 the New Bowson Colliery Company purchased of Arthur & Edward colliery. Its sole purpose was to drive a deep pit in order to drain another, namely the Favourite Gale. This, in turn, was to allow expansion of as part of the East Slad Colliery just north of Cinderford. During this time some coal from the Arthur & Edward was worked. The New Bowson Colliery Company was owned by the families of Holden and Illingworth.

The Lydney and Crump Meadow Collieries Company Limited were working the Bilson and Crump Meadow collieries, primarily for coal gas and they purchased the North-Western United deep gale in 1908, which included the Arthur and Edward gale. They immediately installed steam pumps and the pit was finally drained to the bottom. Overall the condition of the shafts was good. New engine houses and building were built at the surface, and the extraction and delivery process to take the coal to Miery Stock via the "Creeper" was completed. (picture bottom left). In 1910 the colliery was being worked by approximately 200 men and about 120 tons of coal was extracted every day. Only a year later this had increased to 500 tons per day!

By 1928 the Arthur and Edward Colliery had been completely electrified, mechanical coal cutters were being used and numerous conveyor belts had installed. In 1938 it was producing over 192,000 tons of coal, 16% of the Forest of Dean's total output, making it one of the largest producers of coal in the Forest. Indeed, at its peak, it was producing 4,000 tons of coal every single week. The Lydney and Crump Meadow Collieries Company Limited gave way to the National Coal Board in 1947.

Mining was a dangerous profession and 18 miners died between 1919 and 1953. However it could have been a lot worse! In June 1949 there was a breach into the old workings of the neighbouring East Slad Colliery, which was filled with water. Soon the water was rushing into the Arthur and Edward Colliery and the men struggled to return to main shaft. Some had to dive under the water to get into the cage that would take them to the surface. 177 men were evacuated but five miners were missing. Miraculously they were safe underground and, having contacted those on the surface, managed to make their way to another shaft. It was part of the old Pludds Colliery, which had been re-opened for the purposes of ventilation. All five men were winched to safety. Within two weeks the pit was pumped and drained and the men returned to work. Following the big flood the Arthur and Edward Colliery continued working for another ten years, but it finally closed in two days before Christmas in December 1959.