Barclays bank

Hello! This is a very confusing situation but I'd like some help if possible.

12 Years ago I was a student and opened a student account with Barclays. One day I got my loan in, and paid £3000 of rent in one go online. That afternoon Barclays cancelled my card, said I was "spending irresponsibly". I went to see the bank manager who refused to issue me a new card so I took out the money I had in the account and started banking elsewhere. It was a very strange situation and banking with Barclays was always difficult. They never sent me any letters or further correspondence and to my knowledge the bank account was closed. I had no direct debits or standing orders at the time.

Fast forward to 2014 I receive a letter to say my barclays account is in arrears. I have had ZERO correspondence with them in the 9 years preceeding.

I spoke to someone on a forum (maybe this one) who helped me write a statute barred letter. I was just going to pay the money (it was £185) but I didn't think I owed them any money. They sent me a letter saying they'd look into it and never got back to me.

I've checked my credit rating today and the information about this account is very confusing. It says my account was completely inactive (I assume because it was closed!!!) until early 2014, in credit/not overdrawn until August 2014 then went into arrears and now I've been in default for three years!

Now I wish I'd just paid the £185 in the first place, the report says I now owe £356 but again, no word of correspondence from Barclays - the only reason I know this is because I checked noddle.

I don't want to pay them £356 but I don't know how I even begin to dispute this because I genuinely have no idea what happened! I don't even have a bank account number I can check!

Where should I start with this? I don't want to enter into the wrong kind of conversation with them and be seen to be admitting the debt is mine.

Any help would be gratefully received.