SOLVED. Set in England around 1920s or so - young woman goes to live with crazy relatives in the country, and fixes up their lives [s]

[Gallimaufry]

A young woman whose parents have died goes to live with her reclusive and very dysfunctional relatives in the English countryside.

The mother of the clan lives in the attic and never comes down, and keeps the rest of the family in line by having hysterical fits if anyone tried to do anything she doesn't like.

There was a family cow that seemed to have parts fall off it with disturbing frequency.

The main character fixes the lives of all her relatives, one by one, and leaves when they're all happily settling into their new lives.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Sounds like Cold Comfort Farm.

[Gallimaufry]

Aha! Thank you, thank you - that's the one!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

You're welcome.

[HJ]

There's a wonderful film of this book made in 1995 starring Kate Beckinsale, Rufus Sewell, Stephen Fry, Eileen Atkins, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellan, and Miriam Margoyles etc. It's true to the book but makes it more credible and comprehendible, somehow.