Edward I in Banff
It is believed that Banff Castle was already standing in 1136 when David I, while at Banff, made a grant to the monks of Urquhart Priory. Between 1291 and 1292 it was held on behalf of Edward I by three successive keepers: Croy; Robert Gray and Richard Swthorpe (who was paid 2/6d per day for keeping 'Bamphe' for Edward I.

Edward personally visited the castle in 1296. Edward appears to have lost his hold on Banff the following year. However, in 1303 when Edward I next visited the Royal Burgh it was back under the control of the English. By 1306 Geoffrey de Aumpilford petitioned Edward I because he 'lost all at the beginning of the war he had in Banff Castle while constable under Sir John de Pothowe'.

Robert The Bruce bypasses Banff
Bruce appears to have withdrawn from Buchan towards Banff in 1308. Presumably his intention was to besiege it and claim it for Scotland. Had he succeeded it is probable that nothing of the castle would have remained today. As it was, the inopportune arrival of the earls and Atholl and Buchan - and the deterioration inhis health - forced him to turn south. Banff appears to have remained in the hands of the English until 1310.

Site of a Motte
Archeological examinations of the site point to it as having included a motte (Armitage, in 1912 and Stell, in 1972). Due to extensive landscaping, however, no trace of this survives. An 18th Century John Adam mansion now occupies the site.

Castle of Enceinte
Nevertheless the castle's North Curtain wall (44m x 5.5m x 2m) survives; as do shorter sections of its east (25m) and west (11m) walls. Outwith the walls there is a substantial north ditch (76m long x 6m deep and ranging from 6-13m wide). This is (probably) the site of a 13 Century quadrangular castle of enceinte. Other examples of this include Kincardine Castle; Kinclaven Castle; Tarbert Castle; Fivie Castle and the Old Castle of Panmure.