Former Ringer House
This house was built around 1868 for Thomas B. Glover’s (1838–1911) younger brother. It was purchased in 1874 by successful British merchant Frederick Ringer (1838–1907), who moved in nine years later with his bride, Carolina (1857–1924). Excluding a period surrounding World War II, Ringer’s family kept the house until 1965, when his second son, Sydney (1891–1967), sold the house to Nagasaki City. A year later, it was designated an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government. The house was restored to its original appearance in 1973.
The one-story house has a wooden frame, but its exterior walls are made of stone. The roof is covered with traditional Japanese tiles, and the veranda is paved with granite from Vladivostok, Russia. Coal-burning fireplaces kept the house warm in winter and high ceilings and large windows kept it cool in summer. A separate building behind the house contains the kitchen and what were once servants’ quarters.