The paintings include a work by Renaissance artist Palma Vecchio. Enlarge Image

The works were accepted in lieu of inheritance tax to a value of �3,083,349.

Amongst the works are a painting by Palma Vecchio a major Renaissance Venetian artist, and a seascape by 17th Century Dutchman Willem van de Velde.

The works will remain on public view at the National Trust owned Penrhyn Castle in Bangor.

"We welcome this announcement as it's very important that paintings such as these are preserved, for ever, for the nation," said Gwynn Angell Jones the head of customer services with the National Trust.

"They could easily have been sold and gone overseas," he added.

This is the only work by Dutch artist Willem Van der Velde in Wales

The National Heritage Act 1980 and the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 empowers HM Revenue and Customs to accept certain property in lieu of inheritance tax.

The announcement that the paintings had been safeguarded was made by Culture Minister Alun Pugh, who welcomed the fact that they would remain for the public to see at Penrhyn Castle.

Details of the estate to which the paintings belonged to were not disclosed.

The other works accepted are:
• An oil on canvas portrait of Viscount Milsington by Allan Ramsay (1713-1784)
• Oil on canvas portrait of a Lady, English School (c.1619-20)
• Three watercolours of views in the Middle East by Carl Haag (1820 -1915);
• Oil on canvas of Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn of Penrhyn by George Romney (1734-1802)
• An oil on canvas of John the Baptist by John Rogers Herbert (1810-1890).

The castle was built between 1820 and 1845 for the Pennant family, who made their fortune from Jamaican sugar and Welsh slate.