What religion was Britain before Christianity?

Answer 1

Pagan

It is uncertain when Christianity actually came to Britain. Some say St Augustine brought Christianity to Britain, but it is certain that there were many pockets of Christianity here long before he came to the shores of the country. The legends of Joseph of Arimathea coming to Britain during the Roman occupation are improbable but certainly not impossible. So any 'pre-Chriatian' period must take us to the first century or before.

If Christianity came to Britain in the first century, there were several religions present. Firstly the Romans had their own gods and there are several ruins of temples to these gods still in existence in archaeological sites around the country. Also, at this time, wicca ('witchcraft') was quite prevalent although wicca bears little resemblance to the witchcraft of the medieval period and even modern day wicca. Likewise, other paganreligions, where natural phenomena (like the earth, the sun, seasons and so on) were worshipped were widespread, but, again, paganism of those times is only loosely similar to those who call themselves 'pagan' today. Lastly, there were many folkreligions (eg local religions of settlers) of which we know little today except for the remnants of their practices eg as found at prehistoric archaeological sites like Stonehenge or Avebury.

Answer 2

If we take Britain as meaning the first time the greater proportion of the British Isles was under a single independent Government then the answer is Catholicism

However if we take Britain as being simply the British Isles inhabited by unassociated prehistoric tribes the answer would be a form of mysticism usually centered around a Sun Deity.

Another answer could be a form Germanic Paganism, the pantheon worshiped by many Iron age kingdoms (the Iceni, Durotriges, Brigantes and many more).

Or some may consider it to be the Germanic Paganism of the early Anglo saxon kingdoms (of which there were also many)

*The difference between British and Saxon paganism largely concerns the names of the gods; Woden = Odin etc

*The Roman Pantheon never really took hold in Britain.