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It has long been one of Britain's most romantic destinations – a charming market town where elegant Georgians paused to 'take the waters'.

But – in worrying news for one of Kent's prettiest places – the spring that has long been the main selling point of Royal Tunbridge Wells appears to have dried up.

End of an era? The Chalybeate Spring - seen her in a stock image - has run dry

The Chalybeate Spring is located in Bath Square on The Pantiles – the Georgian colonnade, full of shops and galleries, that is the heart of the town.

It is here that mineral water is served in cups by 'dippers', who wear period costume during the summer season.

But last month the water from the underground spring stopped flowing – and with it, visitors to the attraction have also dried up.

A fixture since 1606: Visitors have been flocking to the Chalybeate Spring to 'take the waters' for four centuries

The area of The Pantiles around the spring is owned by property investment company Targetfollow.

The firm has been tight-lipped about the issue, according to Tunbridge Wells paper The Courier.

A spokesman would only say: 'We are undertaking an investigation.'

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council says the spring opened for the tourist season on April 18 – and its staff noticed that the water had stopped flowing on May 5.

In a statement, it says: 'We do not know what has caused the water to stop.'

'We notified Targetfollow when we realised that there was no flow and closed the dipper service. The dippers will return as soon as they can.'

Tradition: Visitors to Tunbridge Wells are served by costumed 'dippers' - but the service is currently on hold

The council is still waiting to hear from Targetfollow as to when it can meet to discuss the water shortage.

Council cabinet member with responsibility for tourism, leisure and economic development Jane March says: 'I was very disappointed when I was informed that the spring had stopped flowing.

'The council has been in touch with Targetfollow, the owners of the Pantiles, to try and arrange a meeting about it.'

This is not the first time the waters have run in to trouble.

In 2010, people were banned from taking the reddish-coloured waters, believed to have health-giving properties.

They were found to have traces of a harmful bacteria and a lack of rainfall had dramatically lowered the water level.

A perfect spot for a summer's afternoon: The Pantiles is the heart of Tunbridge Wells

The spring was reputedly discovered in 1606 by one Lord North, an aristocrat at the court of James I who was staying in the Kent countryside to boost his ailing health.

He encountered the spring, and found that drinking its water improved his condition – before recommending its restorative properties to his friends.

By 1630, when Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I, paid a visit, the spring had been firmly inked on the map as a fashionable destination – and by the 19th century, Royal Tunbridge Wells had become a must-see hotspot for the London gentry.