PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION COMPLETES THE SALE OF
                  SIX BRANCHES TO UNION BANKSHARES CORPORATION


BALTIMORE, MD (September 10, 2007) - Provident Bankshares Corporation
(Provident) (NASDAQ:PBKS), and Union Bankshares Corporation (Union)
(NASDAQ:UBSH) today announced the completion of the sale of the deposits and
facilities of six Provident branches in Virginia to Union.

The branches sold are located in the communities of Charlottesville, Middleburg,
Warrenton (2) and Winchester (2). They will become part of two of Union's
banking subsidiaries, Union Bank and Trust Company (Charlottesville branch) and
Rappahannock National Bank (remaining five branches). The six branches have
current total deposits of approximately $44 million. The employees in these
branches were offered continued employment by Union after the close of the
transaction

ABOUT PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION

Provident Bankshares Corporation is the holding company for Provident Bank, the
largest independent commercial bank headquartered in Maryland. With $6.3 billion
in assets, Provident serves individuals and businesses in the key metropolitan
areas of Baltimore, Washington and Richmond through a current branch network of
149 offices in Maryland, Virginia and southern York County, Pennsylvania.
Provident Bank also offers related financial services through wholly-owned
subsidiaries. Securities brokerage, investment management and related insurance
services are available through Provident Investment Center and leases through
Court Square Leasing. Visit Provident on the web at www.provbank.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

THIS PRESS RELEASE, AS WELL AS OTHER WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS MADE FROM TIME TO
TIME BY PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES (THE "COMPANY")
AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS MADE FROM TIME TO TIME BY AUTHORIZED OFFICERS OF THE
COMPANY, MAY CONTAIN STATEMENTS RELATING TO THE FUTURE RESULTS OF THE COMPANY
(INCLUDING CERTAIN PROJECTIONS AND BUSINESS TRENDS) THAT ARE CONSIDERED
"FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" AS DEFINED IN THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION
REFORM ACT OF 1995 (THE "PSLRA"). SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MAY BE
IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF SUCH WORDS AS "BELIEVE," "EXPECT," "ANTICIPATE,"
"SHOULD," "PLANNED," "ESTIMATED," "INTEND" AND "POTENTIAL." EXAMPLES OF
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, POSSIBLE OR ASSUMED
ESTIMATES WITH RESPECT TO THE FINANCIAL CONDITION, EXPECTED OR ANTICIPATED
REVENUE, AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY'S CONSUMER,
COMMERCIAL AND OTHER LENDING BUSINESSES; ASSET QUALITY AND LEVELS OF
NON-PERFORMING ASSETS; CURRENT AND FUTURE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS;
NON-INTEREST INCOME LEVELS, INCLUDING FEES FROM SERVICES AND PRODUCT SALES;
TANGIBLE CAPITAL GENERATION; MARKET SHARE; EXPENSE LEVELS; AND OTHER BUSINESS
OPERATIONS AND STRATEGIES. FOR THESE STATEMENTS, THE COMPANY CLAIMS THE
PROTECTION OF THE SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE
PSLRA. NO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT CAN BE GUARANTEED, AND ACTUAL RESULTS MAY
DIFFER FROM THOSE PROJECTED. THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO PUBLICLY
UPDATE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION,
FUTURE EVENTS OR OTHERWISE. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS IN THIS RELEASE SHOULD BE
EVALUATED TOGETHER WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES THAT AFFECT THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS,
PARTICULARLY THOSE MENTIONED UNDER THE HEADINGS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" AND
"ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS" IN THE COMPANY'S FORM 10-K FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER
31, 2006, AND ITS REPORTS ON FORMS 10-Q AND 8-K, WHICH THE COMPANY INCORPORATES
BY REFERENCE.

    114 East Lexington Street * Baltimore, Maryland 21202 * www.provbank.com