Janet Mathews, Guildford Cathedral’s chief tour guide, told Secret Surrey the kneelers were a representation of ordinary people who came to the church.
“They would see themselves and their own lives reflected in the cathedral,” she added.
The idea came from Prudence Maufe, the wife of the cathedral’s architect Sir Edward Maufe, who wanted the kneelers to be designed with the theme “a history of our time”, Ms Matthews said.
She added some of the embroideries reflected a juxtaposition between nostalgia and changing times.
“Some feature very traditional activities such as gardening, sewing and laundry work,” she said.
“Then, we have artwork with power stations, pylons, jet-propelled aircraft and factories.”