Exhibit 99.4

                            BANKNORTH CAPITAL TRUST I
                            Offer for all Outstanding
                       10.52% Capital Securities, Series A
                                 in Exchange for
                       10.52% Capital Securities, Series B

To:   Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks,
      Trust Companies and Other Nominees:

      Banknorth Capital Trust I (the "Trust") is offering, upon and subject to
the terms and conditions set forth in a prospectus dated September , 1997 (as
the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Prospectus"),
and the enclosed letter of transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal"), to
exchange (the "Exchange Offer") its 10.52% Capital Securities, Series B (the
"Exchange Capital Securities") for any and all of its outstanding 10.52% Capital
Securities, Series A (the "Original Capital Securities"). The Exchange Offer is
being made in order to satisfy certain obligations of the Trust and Banknorth
Group, Inc. (the "Corporation") contained in the Registration Rights Agreement,
dated as of May 1, 1997, among the Trust, the Corporation and Sandler O'Neill &
Partners, L.P.

      We are requesting that you contact your clients for whom you hold Original
Capital Securities regarding the Exchange Offer. For your information and for
forwarding to your clients for whom you hold Original Capital Securities
registered in your name or in the name of your nominee, or who hold Original
Capital Securities registered in their own names, we are enclosing the following
documents:

      1.    The Prospectus dated September , 1997;

      2.    The Letter of Transmittal for your use and for the information (or
            the use, where relevant) of your clients;

      3.    A Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to be used to accept the Exchange
            Offer if certificates for Original Capital Securities are not
            immediately available or time will not permit all required documents
            to reach the Exchange Agent prior to the Expiration Date (as defined
            below) or if the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be
            completed on a timely basis;

      4.    A form of letter which may be sent to your clients for whose account
            you hold Original Capital Securities registered in your name or the
            name of your nominee, with space provided for obtaining such
            clients' instructions with regard to the Exchange Offer; and

      5.    Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
            Substitute Form W-9.

      Your prompt action is requested. The Exchange Offer will expire at 5:00
p.m, New York City time, on [ ], 1997, or on such later date or time to which
the Corporation or the Trust may extend the Exchange Offer (the "Expiration
Date"). The Original Capital Securities tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer
may be withdrawn at any time before the Expiration Date.


      To participate in the Exchange Offer, a duly executed and properly
completed Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof), with any required
signature guarantees and any other required documents, should be sent to the
Exchange Agent and certificates representing the Original Capital Securities
should be delivered to the Exchange Agent, all in accordance with the
instructions set forth in the Letter of Transmittal and the Prospectus.

      If holders of Original Capital Securities wish to tender, but it is
impracticable for them to forward their certificates for Original Capital
Securities prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer or to comply with the
book-entry transfer procedures on a timely basis, a tender may be effected by
following the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Prospectus under
"The Exchange Offer--Procedures for Tendering Original Capital
Securities--Guaranteed Delivery."

      The Trust will, upon request, reimburse brokers, dealers, commercial banks
and trust companies for reasonable and necessary costs and expenses incurred by
them in forwarding the Prospectus and the related documents to the beneficial
owners of Original Capital Securities held by them as nominee or in a fiduciary
capacity. The Trust will pay or cause to be paid all stock transfer taxes
applicable to the exchange of Original Capital Securities pursuant to the
Exchange Offer, except as set forth in Instruction 6 of the Letter of
Transmittal.

      Any inquiries you may have with respect to the Exchange Offer, or requests
for additional copies of the enclosed materials, should be directed to The First
National Bank of Chicago, the Exchange Agent for the Original Capital
Securities, at its address and telephone number set forth on the front of the
Letter of Transmittal.

                                           Very truly yours,


                                           BANKNORTH CAPITAL TRUST I

      NOTHING HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR ANY
PERSON AS AN AGENT OF THE TRUST OR THE EXCHANGE AGENT, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY
OTHER PERSON TO USE ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF EITHER OF
THEM WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS EXPRESSLY MADE IN
THE PROSPECTUS OR THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

Enclosures


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