This paper investigates the interaction between structure and stress rate and its effect on the compression behaviour of cemented clay. Natural hard soils and soft rocks possess a structure that was formed by complex physical and chemical process during and/or after deposition. Tests were performed on artificially cemented kaolin to simulate deposition during or after the formation of structure. One-dimensional compression tests were performed at different loading rates during curing of the artificially cemented clay specimens so that the coupled effects of curing and stress rate could be examined. Triaxial tests were also carried out on cemented specimens that were cured and consolidated under different initial stresses and then compressed isotropically at different stress rates. In these latter tests the structure formed by curing had reached a stable state prior to compression, and the isotropic loading resulted in the degradation of structure. One-dimensional and triaxial compression tests were performed on reconstituted specimens for comparison.