About Usof the petra plantation
 About Usis preserved at Grand Old House, where visitors can enjoy the original
charm and splendour of the estate.
Constructed by William Henry Law, a businessman from Boston, Mass.,
the massive home was built to last. The foundation consists of 136
supports of locally-grown ironwood, one of the hardest woods in
the world. With the posts fixed directly into the ironshore, the
house was able to weather even the toughest of storms.
The land around Grand Old House was cultivated as a coconut plantation.
When Mr. Law left the Islands, the Lambert family was sent to oversee
his business and to live in the house. The Lambert's entertained
frequently, hosting elegant parties at the house.
In later years, Grand Old House was used as a Sunday school for
local children, a hospital for soldiers wounded in World War II,
and a shelter for island residents during storms and hurricanes.
The building even housed a beauty parlour at one time, and locals
tell the story that a doctor once performed an operation on the
dining room table. When the Lambert family left Cayman for Jamaica
in 1925, the house remained in the care of Mrs. Olive Hines, the
family housekeeper, for many years. Mr. Law never returned to the
Island.
In the 1950's, the House passed into the hands of retired U.S. Army
Colonel Pirnie, and remained in his possession until it was purchased
by Bob and Jeanne Brendon and other partners, who turned it into
a restaurant in 1969. At that time, South Sound Road was little
more than a dirt track, and the restaurant was lit by oil lamps.
Tourists in those days were few and far between; nevertheless the
restaurant became a favourite with local residents. The legend of
Grand Old House has been kept alive thanks to careful preservation
and restoration efforts. It remains today one of the finest restaurants
on the island. It's seaside veranda offers the perfect setting for
a leisurely lunch or romantic dinner.
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